Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
MCGREGOR ON THE RAMPAGE
Fighter caught on camera ‘hurling railing and chairs at van carrying rivals’
POLICE want to speak to Conor Mcgregor after footage appeared to show him throwing a railing at a van carrying rival fighters.
The Dubliner is in New York for a UFC event in which Khabib Nurmagomedov takes on Max Holloway for his old lightweight title.
Last night an NYPD spokesman said: “There was an incident at the
Barclays Center earlier on. Conor Mcgregor is not under arrest and there is no warrant out for his arrest yet but we want to speak to him over an assault that took place.
“That’s all we can say at the moment.” In the footage, Mcgregor appears to pick up a railing and aim it at a van taking fighters, including Russian Nurmagomedov, back to their hotel.
It is believed chairs were thrown through one of the vehicle’s windows and that lightweight Michael Chiesa suffered a cut to his forehead which needed treatment.
UFC president Dana White and local authorities were called out following the media day at the Brooklyn arena. coach Rick Little told MMA Junkie: “Conor went bananas and put a beating on the van that we were in looking for Khabib.
“A million security guards had to restrain him. Mike’s cut up now. He’s got marks on him, for sure. I don’t think it’s too serious.
“Everything happened so fast, it was just like we were jumped.” In another video, Mcgregor and his entourage were seen entering an elevator at the famous fight venue.
It is believed they left the scene following the fracas.
Mcgregor is in New York to support teammate Artem Lobov in his battle with Alex Caceres.
The dad of one has not fought since November 2016 when he knocked out Eddie Alvarez to win the lightweight title.
At that point he held both the 145lb and 155lb belts, becoming the first fighter to do so in the UFC’S history.
But he was stripped of the featherchiesa’s weight title after choosing to challenge Floyd Mayweather.
Having been stopped by the boxing legend in the 10th round last August, Mcgregor had yet to commit himself to a return to the Octagon.
Nurmagomedov was due to face Tony Ferguson in the fight this Saturday but the American injured his knee last week at a TV studio.
His countryman Holloway, the current featherweight champion, stepped in at a week’s notice as he bids to emulate Mcgregor’s record.
Conor went bananas & put a beating on the van looking for Khabib RICK LITTLE NEW YORK YESTERDAY