Conor McGregor vs Khabib: UFC must come down hard to prove it’s not just a freak show after unacceptable assault

The UFC sells this as entertainment. It was anything but as Khabib leapt into the crowd to start a mass brawl while McGregor was attacked in the Octagon by his cronies

Ugly.

No other word works.

Really, really ugly.

If there was a feeling that the set-up for this was a little staged as six months ago Conor McGregor and his entourage managed to meander into the Barclays Centre in New York, and gain access to the athlete's post-press conference bus without coming across any security before then going way too far, then this time it was all too real.

The fight itself? Within seconds of Khabib Nurmagomedov retaining his lightweight title with a submission via a choke in round four having dominated throughout, it no longer was the story. He undid so much of what he had done so well.

The Russian leapt from the octagon and went after Dillon Danis, one of McGregor's coaches, and all hell quickly broke loose. A riot started ringside, but that wasn't the worst part. With the Dubliner watching on from where he had been stopped inside, a member of Khabib's team took the chance to blindside him with punches from behind. No matter what you make of McGregor, for a fighter to be attacked after a fight should be met with brutal punishment.

From the UFC.

And also from the Las Vegas police, such is the cowardice and severity.

The early news as the arena cleared was that three members of Khabib's team were immediately arrested but afterwards UFC chief Dana White confirmed that McGregor refused to press charges. "Not 100 per cent certain [he won't be stripped of his title]," he said. "He doesn't have to worry about me, he has to worry about Nevada. The governor was here tonight, he went running out of the building. He's in trouble... But I saw one of Conor's guys shouting at Khabib and Khabib ran and jumped out of the octagon. Eventually two of Khabib's guys got into the octagon and one hit Conor with some shots from behind.

Khabib had to be escorted out of the arena as fans pelted objects at him (AP)

"The Nevada State Athletic Commission pulled the footage from us, they are withholding Khabib's purse, they're not withholding Conor's. But being in there in the middle as it was going on, I have to start worrying about the fans and people that are inside the arena. I felt that if we put the belt on Khabib it was going to rain, people would throw whatever they had and it would be a dangerous situation. But Conor was one of the guys who was attacked and he refused to press charges, the guys they did have were released.

"I've been working hard for 18 years to build this sport," he then sighed. "I promise you this is not what a mixed martial arts event is normally like ... The biggest night ever, I couldn't be more disappointed."

He should be, especially after he was so happy to use the New York incident to sell this event.

Mcgregor had no answer for Nurmagomedov's ground game (Getty)

If the UFC wants to get a reputation beyond a freak show, then this isn't the way to go about it. The stench will last for some time although for a promotion company that more than any other buy into the ideology that there's only one thing worse than not being talked about, the fear is they try and turn this into another sales pitch for some sort of grudge match and rematch. White looked furious when talking to the champion in the octagon afterwards, but then we've heard that spiel before. Time will tell and be telling.

It was the first emotion we'd seen from Nurmagomedov throughout all this. He was ice cold as his team, his country and his religion were picked on by an odious McGregor in the build-up, all mixed in with the usual insults about what he was going to do to him. Even during the fight itself he was so cool, so calm, so collected, and most importantly so much better.

Each round he took McGregor down to the canvas and worked his ground game, wearing out his opponent. And even when they went toe to toe in a boxing format in the early parts of rounds, an art that McGregor was supposed to be superior in to the point that was his way to win, Khabib was better there too when that was never meant to be the case. His overhand right continually landed flush, to the point the surprise was this lasted as long.

McGregor was soundly beaten by his long-term rival (Getty)

If he wasn't good enough, McGregor was at least brave, his defence on the floor somehow fending off enough of the onslaught to go this far for only the second time in his career. But you never sensed he could win it. Yet this is the complexity of McGregor for after all the bluster comes the blood. Few do cheaper talk than he, but few walk the walk like him either. It can be hard to look past the fool to the fighter which is a pity as we miss out a lot.

Earlier in the week, having breakfast with the legendary cut man Stitch Duran who has worked across the fight sports sphere, he spoke of what it's like to be in the dressing room before MMA bouts. Taping hands, he recalled how some of those heading for their destiny were reduced to tears. It's the end of the last meal, it's walking the green mile, it's preparing to take an absolute pasting like in no other sport if you make so much as one mistake.

Little wonder McGregor looked nervous making his way in. Edgy. Something we are not used to, having failed to get inside his opponent's head by then. Maybe he knew as well that frankly he was out of his depth, which is an odd thing to say given what he's achieved.

The question coming into this that was regularly asked was about his hunger and his desire. It's not a natural thing to want to get into a cage and fight like this – indeed just the notion can come across as the plot from some awful Seagal dystopian film – however it becomes more unnatural still when you don't need to do it. He has his fame. He has his fortune. Even if he didn't though you got the feeling it wouldn't have changed anything in this one.

But really, how much does that matter for the champion took away from his own achievement to an enormous extent as did his team? Pent up anger is understandable but to be telling adults about sticks and stones breaking bones is frankly pathetic, and the reaction to so many insults was anything but acceptable. The fortunate part was that it didn't get worse as after Danis was led away by security, after McGregor stunned and bemused made his way out of sight, Khabib surrounded by police and bouncers was pelted with beer and cups from the stands.

"I want to say sorry to the athletic commission, sorry to Vegas, I know this is not my best side," Khabib said after. "I'm a human being and I don't understand how people can talk about how I jumped from the cage. He talked about my father, my religion, my country. He came to Brooklyn and attacked my bus and almost killed a couple of people. What about this s***? It's not people, it's media. This is a respect sport, not a trash talking sport.

"I want to change this game, I don't want people talking shit. You cannot talk about religion, you cannot talk about this stuff and for me it's very important. I know my father is going to smash me when I go home though, I know this. I'm sorry. He did pictures with [Vladmir] Putin, he just called me and said he is very happy. Congratulations. But I want to say sorry."

Nurmagomedov is held back outside of the cage after beating McGregor at UFC 229 (AP)

With that he left with his belt without taking any questions, but alcohol and anger were already in the air all around, the very makings of major trouble. Outside and into the night, this town wasn't a good place to be with film quickly emerging of punch ups on the streets and men knocked out cold.

The UFC sells this as entertainment. It was anything but.