Conor McGregor's camp deny the UFC star was knocked out during a sparring session ahead of Floyd Mayweather fight
McGregor's team have moved quickly to deny the Irishman was KO'd during a sparring session
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Your support makes all the difference.Conor McGregor’s management team have denied claims that the Irishman was knocked out in a sparring session this week.
The rumour mill went into overdrive on Monday when former two-weight world champion Jessie Vargas gave a video interview with Villainfy Media, in which he said that McGregor has been knocked out by the MMA fighter Bradley Wheeler.
“I heard that they tried Bradley Wheeler but he knocked him out,” Vargas said.
“I’m looking forward to Floyd coming out with a victory by knockout in six, seven rounds. I have no doubt. I actually want to put some money on it. It’s a 99 per cent win.”
However, Telegraph Sport have since reported that McGregor’s management team have insisted the claim is not true.
“The guy mentioned by Jessie Vargas is Brandon Rios, not Brad Wheeler,” the newspaper reports.
“Neither have sparred with Conor.”
Rios has since confirmed that he has never sparred with McGregor, and that he has never actually met him.
“My phone's been blowing up,” he told ES News. “I've been getting texts messages and calls about this. I've never met McGregor, and I don't know who he is.”
Wheeler – the mixed martial artist Vargas confused with Rios – also rubbished the story.
“I fought in Cage Warriors on the 2nd of June, found out the day after I had a few fractures in my leg. I was in a cast for 4 weeks then on crutches for 3 weeks,” he told MMACS.net.
“So I don't know how I've managed to do this with one leg – I haven't hit pads for 8 weeks let alone spar with McGregor.
“It's not true. It's getting ridiculous, my phone has been going off non-stop. I'm just fed up of everyone calling me asking if I knocked out Conor McGregor.”