Conor McGregor could not throw a party after UFC 229 on Saturday, and not just because he lost.
The fighter had plans to head to Encore Beach Club in Las Vegas after the bout this weekend, no matter how it ended up. However, after the chaotic brawl that followed the match, his staffers called to cancel the festivities, according to a report by The Blast. Sources said that McGregor and the rest of his entourage faced “Credible threats,” ultimately making the party impossible.
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McGregor submitted in the fourth round of the fight on Saturday, but fists continued to fly. His opponent, Khabib Nurmagomedov, attacked McGregor’s cornerman Dillon Danis. At the same time, McGregor began fighting with Nurmagomedov’s cousin, Abubakar. At that point, two more of Nurmagomedov’s cornermen began attack McGregor, leading to an all out brawl in the octagon.
The Nevada Sate Athletic Commission has reportedly withheld Nurmagomedov’s payment for the fight and filed a formal complaint against both fighters over the incident. They are due to appear in a formal hearing in November to determine how they will move forward after the unsportsman-like conduct.
Nurmagomedov’s afterparty was also reportedly canceled. He apologized for his behavior and that of his team shortly after the match. McGregor decided not to press charges against anyone on his team, and he also announced that he has no plans of asking for a rematch. He did, however, promise he would be back in the ring before long.
“We lost the match but won the battle,” he promised on Twitter. “The war goes on.”
We lost the match but won the battle.
โ Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) October 8, 2018
The war goes on. pic.twitter.com/CRtPaGfOnn
The continued fighting after the whistle was blown has cast a bad light on the UFC and combat sports in general, and many enthusiasts are worried about how it will effect future tickets. On Monday, UFC legend Chuck Liddell posted about the issue on Instagram, pulling no punches in his criticism of the younger fighters.
“Incredible performance by both fighters Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov, But to end it like they did was a huge embarrassment to the sport,” he wrote. “We (fighters) are sportsmen and champions and we should hold ourselves to a higher standard. We owe it to our fans and the sport itself. I don’t know when things started turning into some kind of shit show?!!!”
McGregor has been in trouble for fights outside the ring before. Just this year, he was arrested for throwing a luggage dolly at a passing buss full of other fighters. Back in August, the UFC announced that he will not be punished.