'Fight for L.A.' becomes real as Rams, Chargers scuffle 3 times

IRVINE, Calif. -- The "Fight for L.A." between the Los Angeles Rams and the Los Angeles Chargers intensified on the field, as players and coaches had to break up three fights during a two-hour scrimmage between the teams on Wednesday at UC Irvine.

For the second time in five days, the two teams competed against each other.

Last Saturday's scrimmage at the StubHub Center went off without any issues. On Wednesday, however, things got started when Rams cornerback Trumaine Johnson took issue with a post-play push-off by Chargers receiver Dontrelle Inman when a pass from Philip Rivers sailed over both of the players' heads.

Johnson threw his helmet off and swung at Inman, who still had his helmet on. Rams cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman ran onto the field to defend his teammate, pushing Inman to the ground.

Chargers receiver Keenan Allen then ran down the field and tackled Robey-Coleman, and a melee ensued.

"Where I'm from, if somebody's going to initiate it, we're going to finish it -- especially myself," Johnson said. "But it was fun, man. It was friendly competition."

Said Inman: "It was two competitors from two different teams that want to win. Just the nature of us is we're aggressive. Just like he thinks he shouldn't take anything from me, I felt the same way."

Chargers receiver Jamaal Jones got into a tussle with Rams cornerback E.J. Gaines a few minutes later, and that had the two teams at each other again.

Gaines wasn't finished, as he also got into an altercation with Chargers defensive end Chris McCain during a special-teams drill.

"Guys are great competitors," Rams head coach Sean McVay said. "We always want to be mindful and smart with this, about how we do this.

"I've been a part of something like this when we practiced against the Texans in Washington. Fortunately nobody got hurt as a result of it. We'll try to be mindful of those things moving forward."

McCain and Gaines were kicked out of practice, according to their coaches.

"At some point, you have to make an example out of somebody," Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn said. "We weren't gonna fight all day."

ESPN NFL Nation Rams reporter Alden Gonzalez contributed to this report.