Chair crazy: Conor McGregor attempts to bash rival Eddie Alvarez at fiery UFC 205 media conference

Conor McGregor looked he may have strolled straight off a New York fashion show catwalk in his white Gucci mink coat as he raised a steel chair high over his head and took aim on Eddie Alvarez’s skull.

UFC president Dana White interjected and snatched the top of the chair before McGregor clocked his UFC 205 main event foe. McGregor could only smirk as he asked a frothing crowd at Madison Square Garden how much a chair shot would cost him in a fine.

McGregor was once docked $150,000 for tossing a water bottle at a press conference. He could keep the cash this time – McGregor had his eyes and hands on Alvarez’s lightweight championship belt.

McGregor was tardy to Thursday’s press conference – hey, New York only waited more than two decades for a UFC debut, so what’s 15 more minutes – and Alvarez had stormed off waiting for the challenger to show up. McGregor arrived quite fashionably late, skipped across the stage, and promptly swiped the belt Alvarez had left behind at the podium.

“This is what confidence looks like,” McGregor said as thousands of fans erupted in cheers.

This is what UFC in NYC looks like at MSG.

Banished to off, off, off Broadway for years by the state, Ultimate Fighting Championship is stoked for its legalised return and loaded UFC 205 card with three title fights and some of its biggest stars for Saturday night’s pay-per-view show.