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World reacts to Conor McGregor, Khabib Nurmagomedov madness

MIKE Tyson says the attack on Conor McGregor at UFC 229 was even wilder than the night he bit off a piece of Evander Holyfield’s ear.

Khabib's victory: all hell breaks loose

A SHOCKING post-match brawl marred the UFC’s night of nights as victorious champion Khabib Nurmagomedov launched himself at Conor McGregor’s camp after choking the Irishman out.

UFC President Dana White said he was “disgusted” at the scenes which will forever haunt the promotion. White said the build-up to UFC 229 was the ugliest he’d seen as the pair traded barbs. The finish was even uglier.

Nurmagomedov proved McGregor’s prediction of an easy knockout false as he rushed the former champ and barrelled him to the ground early in the first round. From there it was an uphill battle until Khabib forced a tap out from the humbled star in the fourth round.

A taunt from McGregor’s teammate Dillon Danis infuriated Khabib, who jumped the fence and began throwing haymakers.

“He should have just took his win, took his belt, like a man,” lightweight rival Tony Ferguson said. “I’m upset, I’m appalled.”

Amid the confusion, two members of the Russian’s team attacked McGregor. As one confronted him head-on and threw a punch, another leapt into the cage and sucker-punched him from behind. “That was disgusting,” commentator Joe Rogan said. “It’s so incredibly disappointing.”

This is how the fight world reacted.

Nurmagomedov, who improved his record to 27-0, apologised in his post-fight press conference but pointed the finger back at McGregor for overstepping the line with his trash talk.

“I want to say sorry ... I know this is not my best side,” Nurmagomedov said. “(But) he talk about my religion, he talk about my country, he talk about my father, he came to Brooklyn and he broke bus, he almost kill a couple of people.”

“This is respect sport, this is not trash talking sport,” he added. “I know my father going to smash me when I go home, I know he’s going to smash me.”

UFC president Dana White later revealed three men have been arrested and are being taken to jail. The man who jumped into the cage is reportedly Zubaira Tukhugov, a Russian-born mixed martial artist who currently fights in the UFC featherweight division.

“I don’t even know what to say right now, I’m just disgusted and sick over it,” White said.

He said McGregor was not hurt. “He’s upset about the fight,” White said. “Not about the fight after the fight.”

“There’s a lot of repercussions for what they did tonight,” White added.

Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/sport/ufc/world-reacts-to-conor-mcgregor-khabib-nurmagomedov-madness/news-story/77a92e50f91077479c1f1c9fd6f73fd1