Violence in and out of the UFC 229 Octagon
KHABIB Nurmagomedov’s victory over Conor McGregor at UFC 229 has been marred by a post-fight brawl between the two fighter’s camps.
The official result was a fourth-round submission victory to Nurmagomedov, who dominated the former twoweight champion, but the violence inside the cage will be forgotten next to the violence outside it.
Nurmagomedov stormed over to McGregor’s corner, hurling his mouthguard and leaping the fence. His target was McGregor’s grappling coach, acclaimed Brazilian jiujitsu artist Dillon Danis.
Danis had been hurling abuse at Nurmagomedov following the latter’s victory.
Punches were thrown and a scrum of security converged, with both McGregor and Nurmagomedov’s teams throwing hands with impunity.
McGregor himself did not exit the cage but a member of Nurmagomedov’s corner stormed the cage and went after the Irishman, throwing a punch while McGregor’s back was turned.
On what was supposed to be a celebratory event, the biggest fight in UFC history, there was a sudden pall of real, uncontrollable violence.
There were further scraps among fans both inside and outside the T-Mobile Arena.
Eventually the two fighters were taken from the arena flanked by security and police.
UFC president Dana White confirmed members of Nurmagomedov’s team had been arrested but they have since been released due to McGre- gor’s decision not to press charges.
“I’m just disgusted and sick over it,” White said. “The biggest night ever and I couldn’t be more disappointed. This is some street s--t going on here. This isn’t sport.”
Nurmagomedov was not presented his belt in the ring and was showered with debris by the venomous crowd as he left.
“If we announced it and put that belt on him things were going to rain into the Octagon and I didn’t want anyone there to get hurt,” White said.