UFC 229 fallout: Khabib Nurmagomedov could lose lightweight championship belt he worked for after melee

The Russian was the main protagonist in an all-out brawl inside the octagon and outside of it after the title fight with Conor McGregor

3-MIN READ3-MIN

A contrite Khabib Nurmagomedov said, ‘It wasn’t my best side tonight’ after UFC 229. Photo: AP

Published: 12:11pm, 8 Oct 2018Updated: 12:22pm, 8 Oct 2018

Khabib Nurmagomedov took only seconds to savour the fulfilment of his years-long ambition to defeat Conor McGregor and cement his status as the undisputed UFC lightweight champion.

He then turned back to the anger that fuelled his preparation for the fight and made his resounding victory a footnote by leaping out of the octagon and attacking a member of McGregor’s team.

The head of the Nevada Athletic Commission, Bob Bennett, told the Los Angeles Times he’s launching a “comprehensive investigation” of the incident, and UFC president Dana White said late on Saturday it would not be surprising if Nurmagomedov receives a lengthy suspension and has his belt stripped.

Khabib Nurmagomedov holds down Conor McGregor in their UFC lightweight championship fight at UFC 229. Photo: AFP

“The governor [Brian Sandoval] was here. When the governor’s in the room and goes running out ... the governor oversees the commission, so I’m sure it’s going to be ugly,” White said.

“Some people love that ... but for me, it’s a bad night.”

White said any other UFC fighters involved in the brawl would not fight in the organisation again. However, that would deprive him of an October 27 fight between Nurmagomedov’s teammate Zubaira Tukhugov and Artem Lobov, one of McGregor’s best friends. Tukhugov was a participant in Saturday night’s fracas. In April, McGregor came to Lobov’s defence when his colleague was confronted by Nurmagomedov in Brooklyn.

UFC 229 fallout: Khabib Nurmagomedov could lose lightweight championship belt he worked for after melee

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The Russian was the main protagonist in an all-out brawl inside the octagon and outside of it after the title fight with Conor McGregor

The Russian was the main protagonist in an all-out brawl inside the octagon and outside of it after the title fight with Conor McGregor