Melee at UFC 229 after Nurmagomedov chokes out McGregor
LAS VEGAS — A few seconds after Conor McGregor tapped Khabib Nurmagomedov’s arm and submitted to the champion’s choke, Nurmagomedov climbed the cage and leaped at the men in McGregor’s corner, setting off a prolonged brawl inside and outside the octagon.
A seminal moment in mixed martial arts was immediately overshadowed by a tawdry ending Saturday night when the UFC’s infuriated lightweight champion took his conflict with McGregor beyond their bout.
McGregor tapped out in the fourth round of his comeback fight at UFC 229 against Nurmagomedov, who then scaled the cage and scuffled with another fighter manning McGregor’s corner. Meanwhile, two men apparently from Nurmagomedov’s entourage climbed into the cage and attacked McGregor, who defended himself before security personnel separated everyone.
Order was restored with no apparently serious injuries, but the scuffles immediately dwarfed one of the biggest and most lucrative shows in UFC history.