Conor McGregor arrest: New video footage shows Irish star’s violent attack on bus at UFC 223 event
The video, which has been released by the UFC, follows McGregor as he attacks Khabib Nurmagomedov’s bus and reveals the bloody injuries suffered by Michael Chiesa
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Your support makes all the difference.New footage of Conor McGregor attacking a bus at the UFC 223 media day has emerged after the company released behind-the-scenes footage from the moment that the Irishman stormed the Barclays Centre in New York.
McGregor appeared before a judge on Friday charged with three counts of assault and one count of criminal mischief, with the former two-weight UFC champion released on bail set at $50,000.
Video footage emerged on Thursday night of McGregor and his entourage attacking a bus that held lightweight rival Khabib Nurmagomedov, among other UFC fighters and personnel, as they left the Barclays Centre in Brooklyn. The Dubliner was seen to launch a number of objects, including a dolly and a chair, at the bus’ windows that left fellow fighter Michael Chiesa and Ray Borg with lacerations, ruling them out of this Saturday night’s UFC event.
McGregor has since handed himself into police and was seen being taken in handcuffs from a police station to a New York Courtroom where he faced a judge. He has not had his passport seized and is free to return to Ireland on condition that he attends another court hearing on 14 June in New York, along with teammate Cian Cowley
Following the incident – which has left this weekend’s card in tatters after Chiesa and Borg were deemed medically unfit to fight and Artem Lobov was removed for his part in the incident before headliner Max Holloway pulled out after being ruled unfit – the UFC released new footage of the entire attack on their UFC YouTube channel.
In the video, McGregor can been seen throwing from footage taken inside the bus throwing the metal sack trolley and smashing a window, and he also picks up a metal security gate and a bin before being stopped from launching them at the same bus.
Once the bus leaves the arena, McGregor and his entourage run away, whooping in celebration as they depart.
The video immediately switches to Reed Harris, the UFC vice-president of athlete development who was on the bus, who is on the phone to UFC president Dana White. Reed says: “Dana, Conor McGregor’s team just attacked out bus. They threw a chair through a window of our bus and we’re stuck at the Barclays Arena [Centre].
“Mike Chiesa’s cut really bad.”
Watch the full video below...
The video is the first time that Chiesa’s injuries immediately after the incident have been revealed, with the lightweight removed from his scheduled bout with Anthony Pettis due to facial lacerations.
White, who has been forced to try and piece together this weekend’s card that was due to be one of the biggest of the year, gave his immediate reaction to McGregor’s actions.
“He’s going to jail, he’s going to jail. Police are looking for him, they’re all being arrested,” White said.
He added: “Today was ultimate media day, and Conor showed up with 20 to 30 goons and stormed the place.
“The Mac Life [McGregor’s brand] guys who were credentialed let them in, they went down to where the buses were when the fighters were leaving and started to attack the busses throwing a big dolly through the window, chairs, tried to throw one of those big barriers through the window and hurt some people – Michael Chiesa, Rose [Namajunas] is shaken up, I guess the dolly almost hit her in the head and the police are looking for him, they’re going to arrest him and unless he turns himself in his private plane is going to be grounded, his passport is no good. He’s in a lot of trouble.”
McGregor has not fought in the UFC since November 2016 and has ignored repeated calls from Nurmagomedov to face him inside the Octagon, with the Russian now facing Al Iaquinta this weekend as a late replacement for Holloway – who himself was a replacement for the injured Tony Ferguson.
“Just tell me where and that’s it, why you need to come here?” Nurmagomedov said as he walked away from the damaged bus. “Show up like you want a fight or something like this, send a message, come here to this place without security, without UFC, without nothing, just send me a message, let me know where and that’s it, and what time.”
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