Live: Conor McGregor vs Khabib at UFC 229

UFC 229 erupted in chaos as Khabib Nurmagomedov continued the fight after the bell.

CONOR McGregor has refused to press charges against three men who attacked him at UFC 229 as the wild fallout to two post-fight brawls continues.

The aftermath of McGregor’s fight against Khabib Nurmagomedov erupted in wild scenes in a terrible moment for the UFC.

McGregor was soundly beaten by the Russian champion — tapping to a rear-naked choke in the fourth round — before chaos ensued.

Nurmagomedov responded to a taunt from the crowd by McGregor’s teammate Dillon Danis by jumping outside of the Octagon and beginning to throw punches.

“Total chaos,” UFC commentator Jon Anik said. “All hell has broken loose.”

Amid the confusion, three members of the Russian’s team attacked McGregor. As one circled in front and confronted him head-on, another leapt into the cage and sucker-punched him from behind. As the first two were apprehended, the third wrestled off a security guard and renewed the attack.

“That was disgusting,” commentator Joe Rogan said. “It’s so incredibly disappointing.”

Here's the best view of the Khabib-McGregor aftermath from a fan#UFC229

🎥 yeroview | Instagram pic.twitter.com/0a8FLfTj3o — SB Nation (@SBNation) October 7, 2018

Months of personal taunting exploded as UFC president Dana White opted to escort Nurmagomedov out of the cage instead of presenting him with the belt.

“If I put this belt on you, everyone’s going to start throwing s*** into the Octagon,” White said.

White later revealed the three men were arrested but released because McGregor didn’t want to press charges.

Nurmagomedov’s $2 million purse for the fight has been withheld while the Nevada State Athletic Commission conducts an investigation.

The bad blood came after McGregor attacked a bus while attempting to confront Nurmagomedov at a UFC event in New York in April. He threw a trolley and a bin at the window of the bus, smashing glass and injuring other fighters, and later pled guilty to a charge of disorderly conduct.

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.”

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, who did not appear at the post-fight press conference, was not hurt. “He’s upset about the fight,” White said. “Not about the fight after the fight.”

Nurmagomedov exacerbated several months of hostilities between the fighters’ camps by stepping away from a prone McGregor and immediately pointing at the Irishman’s corner, shouting and throwing his mouthpiece.

The men in McGregor’s corner appeared to respond with taunts, and Nurmagomedov climbed over the fence and fought with Danis, a Bellator welterweight who trains with McGregor.

While McGregor watched, two men entered the cage and sucker-punched him. He was forced to defend himself before security personnel separated everyone.

“The guys who jumped in will never fight (in the UFC) again,” White said.

Nurmagomedov now faces a nervous wait to find out what repercussions he’ll face. Commentators have already speculated about him having his title stripped, facing heavy fines and suspension — and even losing his US green card.

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

“We have to see what happens with the Nevada State Athletic Commission — not just the commission, there’s going to be fines, God knows what. Can these guys get visas and get back in the country?

“The biggest night ever and I couldn’t be more disappointed ... this is some street shit going on here. This isn’t sport.”

White defended his company’s approach to the night. “Every cop in town was here,” he said. “We had an incredible amount of security.”

3.40pm

Khabib-McGregor: Round by round

Round One: After both fighters declined to touch gloves, the action began. McGregor stalked Nurmagomedov from the opening bell and landed the first shot. The champion immediately dove for McGregor’s legs — and after close to a minute of great takedown defence by McGregor — he managed to pin the Irishman against the cage. The Russian was extremely patient and his lack of offence brought boos from the pro-McGregor crowd. McGregor remained composed and took barely any damage but this was not where he wanted to be. Nurmagomedov 10-9

Round Two: Nurmagomedov stunned McGregor with a heavy shot early in the round and despite a quick countering knee by the Irishman began to enforce his will. He pinned McGregor against the side of the cage and unloaded vicious ground and pound. McGregor took an incredible amount of punishment but earned roars from the crowd as he forced his way back to his feet and survived to the bell. This has been one-way traffic and there was arguments that was a 10-8 round. Nurmagomedov 20-18

Round Three: The fight stayed on the feet for several minutes as McGregor managed to stuff a takedown. Nurmagomedov began to show signs of tiring and a stiff uppercut from the challenger brought cheers from the crowd. The Russian battled back by pinning McGregor against the Octagon in the final 90 seconds. Tough round to call but McGregor may have done enough early to pinch it. Nurmagomedov 29-28

Round Four: Nurmagomedov continued dominate and forced McGregor to tap to defend his title.

Lightweight championship

(Champion) Khabib Nurmagomedov (Russia) defeated (1) Conor McGregor (Ireland) via submission (rear naked choke) — R4, 3:03

3.30pm

McGregor enters the arena

3pm

Co-main: Back-and-forth bloody carnage

What an entree.

Tony Ferguson and Anthony Pettis engaged in a bloody war in the final fight before the main event — before Pettis was ruled out after two rounds because of a broken hand.

Ferguson had Pettis in trouble at the end of dominant opening round in their lightweight bout.

He was looking sensational in his return from a knee injury, keeping Pettis off balance with a diverse range of striking — and clocking him with a right hand in which he launched himself off the cage with his right foot.

But Pettis flipped the script early in the second, busting Ferguson open with a counter right hand and following it with an overhand right that put his opponent down.

Both men were coated in blood as the action continued and Ferguson regained control. He kept Pettis pinned to the side of the Octagon with relentless pressure and may have done enough to steal the round.

Pettis returned to his corner was visited by the doctor, who wouldn’t let him continue when he revealed his hand was broken. “I heard my hand shatter,” Pettis said.

Ferguson aggressively called out Conor McGregor during his in-cage interview. “Where you at McNuggets, I’m going to kick your ass,” Ferguson yelled. “If Khabib won’t do it, I will.”

Lightweight

(2) Tony Ferguson (US) defeats (8) Anthony Pettis (US) via TKO (doctor’s stoppage) — R2, 5:00

2.40pm

Main card: Beast’s Moscow mauling

Derrick Lewis pulled out an unbelievable late stoppage to steal victory from Alexander Volkov.

The American was 11 seconds away from having lost all three rounds when he stunned Volkov with a heavy one-two and finished the job ruthlessly on the ground.

Volkov had the best of an entertaining opening round and Lewis was forced to survive another flurry early in the second before the pace began to slow. The American was looking for one fight-altering shot but Volkov stayed out of range.

“We’re down two rounds ... kill or be killed,” Lewis’s corner urged. “Finish this fight.”

He did — just in time.

Lewis protected his No. 2 ranking in the heavyweight division but he’s not worried about a title shot at this stage.

“I need to sit my black ass down and do some more cardio,” he told Joe Rogan. “F*** what you talking about right now. I ain’t trying to fight for no title right now with no gas tank like that, s*** ... maybe in a few weeks I can come on your show and smoke some weed with you.”

Women’s strawweight

(8) Michelle Waterson (US) defeated (9) Felice Herrig (US) via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 29-28)

Heavyweight

(2) Derrick Lewis (US) defeated (5) Alexander Volkov (Russia) via KO (punches) — R3, 4:49

Light Heavyweight

(12) Dominick Reyes (US) defeated (7) Ovince St Preux (US) via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

12.45pm

Undercard: Holtzman rains down hell-bows

Scott Holtzman brutally stopped Alan Patrick with some of the nastiest ground and pound you’re likely to see.

The 35-year-old American was an underdog against his Brazilian foe and suffered a huge setback when — he revealed post-fight — he broke both of his hands during the early rounds.

But it didn’t stop him as he mounted Patrick and forced the stoppage in third.

“I landed a good hook early on and hurt my left and then the right hand later on,” Holtzman said. “Lucky I was able to land some good elbows.”

Scott Holtzman says both his hands are broken. It's a good thing he's got some viscous elbow strikes in the tool box. #UFC229 — Chamatkar Sandhu (@SandhuMMA) October 7, 2018

Man, Scott Holtzman completely brutalized Alan Patrick with some vicious elbows to knock him the eff out. Keep this trend going #UFC229 — Andreas Hale (@AndreasHale) October 7, 2018

Lightweight

Scott Holtzman (US) defeated Alan Patrick (Brazil) via KO (elbows) — R3, 3:42

Women’s Bantamweight

(9) Aspen Ladd (US) defeated Tonya Evinger (US) via TKO (punches) — R1, 3:26

Welterweight

Vicente Luque (US) defeated Jalin Turner (US) via KO (punches) — R1, 3:52

Flyweight

(5) Jussier Formiga (Brazil) defeated (2) Sergio Pettis (US) via unanimous decision (30-26, 29-28 x2)

10.45am

Preliminary card: Brutal head kick

American welterweight star Tony Martin gave fans a taste of the night ahead with a brutal head kick to send countryman Ryan LaFlare to the deck in the third round.

Martin was down on points as their Early Preliminary Card bout raced toward a decision finish but was able to shock LaFlare and batter him before the referee stood in and stopped the fight.

Welterweight

Tony Martin (US) defeated Ryan LaFlare (US) via TKO (head kick and punches) — R3, 1:00

Lightweight

Nik Lentz (US) defeated Gray Maynard (US) via TKO (head kick and punches) — R2, 1:19

Women’s bantamweight

Yana Kunitskaya (Russia) defeated (12) Lina Lansberg (Sweden) via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

8.30am

‘Mayweather fight will help McGregor’

Khabib Nurmagomedov was first on the scales at Saturday’s official weigh-in for UFC 229 at T-Mobile Arena. When Bob Bennett, the executive director of the Nevada Athletic Commission, called out “155,” much of the angst surrounding Nurmagomedov’s showdown with Conor McGregor for the UFC Lightweight Championship was gone.

Nurmagomedov, who has struggled to make weight in previous fights to the point of once being hospitalised, made the lightweight limit and promptly hopped off the scales, sending a message that he was ready to validate his title by taking on McGregor. An hour later, the Irishman weighed in at 154.5 for his first UFC bout in nearly two years, ensuring what is expected to be one of the richest fights in UFC history.

“I’m the UFC champion, undefeated and undisputed,” Nurmagomedov said. “I have to be careful because he has good timing and good boxing, but my wrestling and my pressure, he’d have to kill me to stop me. I’m going to stop this guy. I’m going to finish this guy. That’s my plan.”

McGregor hasn’t been in the Octagon since November 2016 when he won the UFC lightweight title against Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205 in Madison Square Garden. In the interim he challenged Floyd Mayweather to a boxing match in August 2017 that earned him about $100 million. Now he returns to the UFC for the first of a six-fight deal.

Unbeaten in 26 MMA bouts, Nurmagomedov is the betting favourite having dominated the opposition while McGregor was taking his hiatus. A skilled grappler, Nurmagomedov is the master of take-downs and submissions. His goal will be to get McGregor on the ground and maul him with this strength submission holds.

Much of the McGregor’s mental warfare has been to get Nurmagomedov mad enough to want to fight him standing up. Along with mocking his record, McGregor has criticised his fighting style.

“You shoot for the legs and hold on for dear life,” McGregor said. “What kind of fighting is that? You’re a phony and a fake and I’m going to expose you, and I’m going to love every second of it.”

McGregor’s taunts haven’t seemed to rattle Nurmagomedov.

“He can say whatever he wants,” Nurmagomedov said. “When some alcoholic drunk guy talks, nobody cares about him. When we go to cage, we’ll see who talks.”

McGregor knows the longer he stays on his feet, the better his chances of winning. With his long reach, fast hands and precise timing, he remains one of the best strikers in the sport, carrying one-punch knockout power. It’s why the fight looks to go one of two ways: Nurmagomedov will get McGregor on the ground, tiring him out and then submit him. Or McGregor’s take-down defence will be good enough to make it a two-fisted brawl.

During his absence from the Octagon, McGregor trained for and took on the best boxer in the planet. If anything, his striking skills should have improved since he dropped Alvarez in the second round. Nurmagomedov has proven to be easy to hit and no one aside from Nate Diaz has been able to take McGregor’s punch.

In short, the Mayweather fight will help McGregor win this fight.

“It was a 30-minute match,” McGregor said of the Mayweather fight. “I learned some things. I was very happy with the experience as a whole. You’ll see on Oct. 6 the lessons I’ve learned.”

Nurmagomedov admits he’s still upset at what happened in April when McGregor and his posse attacked a bus in which Nurmagomedov was riding at Barclays Center.

“I’m angry and little emotional,” he said this week. “But my job when I go to the cage is to control my emotions. I have to stay relaxed and maul this guy. The most important thing is to stay relaxed when go into the cage.”

McGregor has predicted a first-round knockout but says he’s ready to go the distance if needed.

“I will be prepared for 5 rounds,” he said. “You’re looking at a fighting veteran. I’ve been through it all. I’ve been on both sides of the world. I’ve been on the boxing side and I’ve been on this side. I’m ready for any occurrence. This is a glass jaw bum and I’m going to shatter him.”

— New York Post