6 October 2018, T-Mobile arena, Las Vegas witnessed arguably the biggest fight in Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) history. It was of course Khabib Nurmagomedov vs Conor McGregor. The fight saw McGregor – aka ‘The Notorious’ – return to the octagon after his defeat to Floyd Mayweather in the boxing ring in August 2017 locking horns with The Russian beast Khabib Nurmagomedov – aka ‘The Eagle’. And boy! What a match it was.
After much drama it was time for one of the most anticipated events in UFC history the undefeated lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and the former featherweight and lightweight champion Conor McGregor.
The two men from Europe battled it out in America. Khabib bested the long long awaited grudge match in splendid fashion. Both were all fired up for this massive massive event but Khabib’s smothering wrestling game was way too much to handle for McGregor, some heavy ground-and-pound and a fight-ending choke was enough to kill the brawl. The Russian stayed disciplined and scored a great finish.
Khabib Nurmagomedov defeated Connor McGregor by Submission via Rear-Naked Choke at 3:03 of Round 4.
But this was not it. Khabib was not just done yet. In a wild and rough scene at the T-Mobile arena in Las Vegas in front of 20,000 odd people and millions watching around the globe, Khabib stepped away from his defeated opponent and instantly pointed at the Irishman’s corner, shouting and throwing his mouthpiece. He then hurled himself over the top of the cage of the octagon, across the officials’ table and jumped on to the floor in order to teach a word or two with his fists to Conor’s jiu-jitsu coach, Dillion Danis. The pair exchanged some blows and were eventually separated by police officers.
Meanwhile three of Khabib’s training partners scaled the top of the fence and attacked Conor from all angles and one of them delivered surprise blows from behind to Conor’s skull before they were dragged away.
Later the three Nurmagomedov team members were detained but the trio was soon released as Conor refused to press any charges, according to the UFC president, Dana White.
And when the official match result was finally announced neither of the two fighting giants were present in the bloodied octagon; both had long since been scurried out by the security. Later Khabib publicly apologised for his rash actions and said that he Russian president, Vladimir Putin also called and congratulated him.
“I know this is not my best side…I am a human being. I don’t understand how people can talk about [how] I jump over the cage…. He [ Conor Mcgregor] talk about my religion, he talk about my country [Russia], he talk about my mother, he come to Brooklyn and he broke bus. He almost kill a couple of people. What about this S***? Why are people talk about I jump over the cage?….My father teach me you have to always be respectful…..I know my father is going to smash me when I go home.” (Sic)
Khabib had previously said that he doesn’t understand Conor’s language [Irish accent]. “I don’t like his promotion of alcohol, use of bad language because many young people watch UFC, follow Conor, follow me and I don’t want to be a bad example for young generation and leave a bad impact. Of course we have to promote the fight and make money but by the end of the day we have to think about the young generation, I don’t know about him but I want to be a good role model. Nobody is perfect everybody makes mistakes but I want to be a good role model.”
With all said and done; Khabib Nurmagomedov reportedly earned 2,000,000 USD (no win bonus) and Conor McGregor filled his pocket with 3,000,000 USD. The event drew an attendance of 20,034 fans, generating a live gate revenue of 17.2 million USD. It set the record for the highest ever MMA attendance and live gate in Nevada.
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