Conor McGregor arrest news: UFC’s Dana White says star insisted ‘this had to be done’ over assault charge

UFC president White spoke to the former two-weight world champion shortly before he handed himself in to the New York City Police department

UFC president Dana White has revealed that he last spoke to Conor McGregor shortly before he turned himself into police in the wake of a backstage melee, with the Irishman still largely unrepentant for his role in the criminal altercation.

McGregor is facing criminal charges in the wake of a violent altercation he allegedly instigated, which injured two fighters and scuppered three fights ahead of UFC 223, the promotion’s biggest event of the year.

Video footage appears to show McGregor throwing a hand truck at a bus full of fighters after a Thursday news conference at Brooklyn's Barclays Center.

The New York Police Department later confirmed that McGregor was charged after handing himself in. He now faces three counts of assault and one count of criminal mischief, and will appear at Brooklyn Criminal Court after 9.30am local time (14.30 GMT).

And speaking ahead of the UFC 223 weigh-ins, White confirmed that McGregor was still struggling to appreciate the severity of his situation.

“Conor and I talked through text yesterday. It was obviously the worst conversation we have ever had, shortly before he turned himself in,” White said on American sports show First Things First.

“I don’t believe he realised what had just happened. It’s not that I don’t think he understood what happened, it’s that he tried to justify it.

“He said listen I’m sorry about Michael [Chiesa], and I’m sorry about Rose [Namajunas] and whoever else, but this had to be done.”