Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov have bans extended ‘indefinitely’ following UFC 229 aftermath

Both fighters haven been suspended ‘indefinitely’ after the unsavoury scenes that followed their fight

Jack Watson
Wednesday 24 October 2018 17:23 BST
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Khabib jumps out the Octagon after beating Conor McGregor

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Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov’s temporary UFC suspensions have been extended indefinitely, the Nevada State Athletic Commission has ruled.

Khabib has also been branded “the catalyst” for the aftermath and the NASC unanimously voted that he will only receive half of his $2m guaranteed purse so that he can pay expenses and cornermen. The other $1m is being transferred from the UFC to the NASC for safekeeping.

Both fighters were initially suspended for 10 days by the NASC following the unsavoury scenes after McGregor’s defeat to Khabib at UFC 229.

After stopping McGregor in the fourth round, Khabib jumped out of the octagon and attacked Dillon Danis, the Irishman’s training partner as members of his team piled onto a stricken McGregor as the defeated champion recovered from being forced into submission.

McGregor and Khabib must now appear in person for a further hearing in December where a decision on the punishments for both fighters will be made, which could be lifetime bans, as suggested by the attorney general.

"I understand that the Nevada State Athletic Commission is doing a thorough investigation, which I am confident will benefit my client, Conor McGregor," said the Irishman's agent, Audie Attar.

Things turned ugly following Khabib's fourth round win
Things turned ugly following Khabib's fourth round win (AP)

The commission can ban both men from fighting in Las Vagas for life on top of a fine, which will be determined in the meeting later this year.

While McGregor ponders his next move, Khabib has announced that he wants to do better than he did against Mayweather, who stopped McGregor in the tenth round when the pair met in the ring in August 2017.

"Hey let's go Floyd, we have to fight now," said the Russia. "50 and 0 versus 27 and 0, two guys that never lose. Let's got, why not? Because in the jungle only one king, only one king. Of course I am the king. Because he (Mayweather) cannot drop McGregor, but I drop him easily."

In response, Mayweather revealed he is willing to come out of retirement for one more payday. "Oh, we fighting. He called me out. So, he gotta come to my world," Mayweather, 41, told TMZ Sports. "I'm my own boss. So, I can't say what's going on on Khabib's end. But, on my end, we can make it happen.

"When I face Khabib I'm getting a nine-figure payday. It's more than the McGregor fight. Probably 100m US dollars more, guaranteed. I'm going to say somewhere between 110m and 200m US dollars guaranteed."

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