Tony Ferguson pulling out, Conor McGregor's bus attack: Looking back at the insane UFC 223 fight week ahead of Khabib Nurmagomedov's title reign
All is well that ends well, and by that logic, UFC 223 was a monumental moment in the sport of mixed martial arts, as it was at this event the legendary Khabib Nurmagomedov started his dominant lightweight title reign.
However, the lead-up to the fight was a dark time for the premier promotion. The fight card was plagued with numerous replacements, a bizarre bus attack, and legal troubles.
The event was originally billed to be headlined by the lightweight title clash between Khabib Nurmagomedov and former interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson. However, the dream matchup was ultimately not to be, as 'El Cucuy' suffered a knee injury in the lead-up to the fight.
Then in Ferguson's place, featherweight legend Max Holloway stepped in as the Dagestani's opponent. As luck would have it, 'Blessed' was declared unfit for the event a day before the fight.
Ultimately Al Iaquinta was named a late replacement and faced Nurmagomedov at a 24-hour notice. Khabib Nurmagomedov won the fight, and the rest is history.
Unfortunately, the fighter shuffle was the least of the event's problems. UFC superstar Conor McGregor's former teammate Artem Lobov was allegedly slapped by Nurmagomedov's team in the lead-up to the event.
Enraged by the incident, 'The Notorious' and his entourage made their way to Brooklyn, jumped the fighter bus that was leaving the UFC 223 pre-fight media event, and threw loose objects, including a steel dolly, into the vehicle, injuring fighters and UFC staff. The global superstar later faced legal trouble for his antics.
Watch Conor McGregor's bus attack and eventual arrest below:
Although this was one of the darkest days in the promotion's history, rest assured UFC did not shy away from using the bus attack footage to promote UFC 229: McGregor vs. Nurmagomedov.
When Conor McGregor apologized for his UFC 223 bus attack
Conor McGregor was originally charged with a felony in addition to a misdemeanor and disorderly conduct for the bus attack. However, in the end, the Irishman avoided jail time as part of a plea deal, pleading guilty to his dismal conduct.
During a court appearance, 'The Notorious' apologized for his antagonizing actions at the UFC 223 media day that injured many individuals. In a 2018 media interaction after his court proceedings, the former two-division champion said:
"I regret my actions that lead me here today. I understand the seriousness of this matter, and I'm humbled that I get to get out soo soon."
Catch Conor McGregor's comments about his UFC 223 bus attack below (0:15):