Conor McGregor looks back at UFC 229 post-fight brawl with one-word reaction
Conor McGregor recently revisited the UFC 229 post-fight brawl and offered a succinct reaction.
'The Notorious' and Khabib Nurmagomedov were locked in one of the most fiercely contested and unforgettable rivalries in the annals of combat sports. The incendiary exchanges leading up to their main event bout in October 2018, along with the post-fight incidents, captivated audiences worldwide, propelling it to become the highest-grossing pay-per-view event in UFC history.
Nurmagomedov dominated much of the fight, ultimately securing a submission finish in the fourth round. However, the night is etched in memory for the chaotic aftermath.
A melee ensued, as 'The Eagle' leaped over the cage to confront McGregor's teammate, Dillon Danis, while several of the Dagestani's associates stormed into the octagon to attack the former two-division champion.
McGregor recently took to Instagram Stories, sharing a video in which he exchanged punches with the UFC Hall of Famer's corner men, Abubakar Nurmagomedov and Zubaira Tukhugov, during the UFC 229 brawl. Alongside the footage, he wrote, "Unbeaten."
Check out Conor McGregor's post below:
Both McGregor and Nurmagomedov were handed lengthy bans for the tumultuous scenes that followed their fight. The Nevada State Athletic Commission fined 'The Notorious' $50,000 and suspended him for six months, while Nurmagomedov received a heavier penalty, being docked $500,000 and banned for nine months.
What contributed to the altercation between Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov's teams at UFC 229?
Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov's chaotic rivalry was ignited by a long-brewing sequence of events preceding their UFC 229 showdown.
The animosity between 'The Eagle' and the Irishman originated when Nurmagomedov repeatedly taunted McGregor as a "chicken" in 2016. McGregor's SBG Ireland then-teammate, Artem Lobov, took offense and publicly criticized Nurmagomedov in a Russian media interview in 2018.
This led to retaliation from the Dagestani and his team, who cornered Lobov and subjected him to humiliation during the UFC 223 fight week at the Barclays Center in New York. A video of the incident went viral, prompting 'The Notorious' to fly to New York to defend his friend and seek retribution.
A video captured McGregor and a group of individuals attacking a bus with Nurmagomedov in it at the Barclays Center following the UFC 223 media event. They threw several objects, including a hand dolly and a guard rail, causing windows and windshields to shatter.
Six months later, 'The Notorious' and Nurmagomedov were scheduled for their highly anticipated lightweight title fight at UFC 229. Nurmagomedov's violent post-fight reaction was seemingly fueled by McGregor's inflammatory remarks during the pre-fight press conference, where he targeted Nurmagomedov's religion, father, manager, and country.