Khabib Nurmagomedov Could be Stripped of Title After Conor McGregor Fight: Dana White

UFC president Dana White said Khabib Nurmagomedov could be stripped of his lightweight championship title depending on whether he’s suspended after jumping out of the octagon and attacking a member of Conor McGregor’s team during UFC 229.

After Nurmagomedov defeated McGregor in the fourth round via submission, the Russian champion scaled the octagon fence and immediately attacked McGregor’s jiu-jitsu coach, Dillon Danis. Amid the chaos, a brawl erupted inside and outside the octagon involving both camps, forcing the two to be escorted out via security.

According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Danis was apparently yelling something at Nurmagomedov.

White said three members of Nurmagomedov’s team were arrested on the night of Saturday, Oct. 6, following the UFC event, according to ESPN.

White added that the Nevada State Athletic Commission is withholding Nurmagomedov’s check pending an investigation. He said that he thinks that Mcgregor was paid after the athletic commission reviewed footage of the incident.

“We’ll see,” said White. “The NSAC is going to hand down some type of fine or suspension, we’ll see. I don’t know. If he gets suspended, it depends how long it is but yeah he will probably get stripped if it’s a long suspension.”

He also stated that anyone who is under a UFC contract involved in the brawl wouldn’t fight in the organization again, adding that the Nevada governor, Brian Sandoval, attended the fight, according to a press conference after the fight.

“It’s bad,” White said of the fight, according to ESPN. “There’s gonna be an investigation by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, and ... there’s gonna be big-money fines, and these guys are in big trouble. ”Again, we need to see how this plays out. Nobody has ever done that; nobody should ever do that.”

White added that McGregor declined to press charges against anyone from Nurmagomedov’s team.

“The biggest night ever and I couldn’t be more disappointed,” White said during the press conference. “It’s unfortunate that the night that the most people are watching is a [expletive] show.”

Khabib Nurmagomedov (red gloves) fights Conor McGregor (blue gloves) during UFC 229 at T-Mobile Arena. Oct 6, 2018, Las Vegas, Nevada. (Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports)

Rematch?

Nurmagomedov also issued a brief statement during the press conference.

“First of all, I want to say sorry to Nevada Athletic Commission and second to Vegas. I know this is not my best side. I’m a human being. But I don’t understand how people can talk about how I jump on the cage. He talked about my religion, he talked about my country, he talked about my father,” he said, without answering any questions before leaving.

On Oct. 7, McGregor tweeted that he wants a rematch.

“Good knock. Looking forward to the rematch,” he wrote.

Daniel Cormier, the UFC heavyweight and light-heavyweight champion and a teammate of Nurmagomedov’s, issued a statement on the matter.

“Hey guys, two wrongs don’t make it right. Conor didn’t deserve that. No one did. But some things aren’t for fight promotion. Religion, family, country. Throwing stuff in Brooklyn. For Khabib it wasn’t fight promotion, it was really personal. Diff culture man. Sucks,” he tweeted.