Khabib teammate facing criminal charges over McGregor king-hit
Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov have both landed in hot water after their roles in the chaos the ensued at UFC 229 in Las Vegas – but one of Khabib’s teammate could be facing criminal charges.
In crazy scenes after Khabib made McGregor tap during the fourth round of their grudge match, the undefeated Russian champion launched himself at McGregor’s jiu-jitsu coach Dilon Danis in the crowd.
But as all hell broke lose outside the octagon, Khabib’s teammate Zubaira Tukhugov climbed the cage to king hit McGregor from behind.
While fresh vision has since emerged of McGregor’s role in potentially inciting violence with one of Khabib’s cousins, Abubakar, the consequences of Tukhugov’s actions are much more serious.
McGregor’s coach John Kavanagh appeared on the Joe Rogan podcast just days after the incident, and he didn’t take too much exception to Khabib’s actions.
“It wasn’t that big of a deal to me what Khabib did. It just really wasn’t,” he said.
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“I hope (Nevada State Athletic Commission) is lenient. Not just so we can get a rematch. I just love watching him fight.
“I can stretch myself to understand his reaction.”
But while Kavanagh didn’t read too much into Khabib’s actions, he was furious with Tukhugov’s ‘criminal’ act.
“But a man coming up, a trained fighter with bare knuckles, hitting a guy who’s tired, who’s taken some rounds and taking some shots, there has to be ramifications for that,” he continued.
“An example has to be made – It’s criminal. It’s assault.”
The Nevada State Athletic Commission chairman Anthony Marnell said they won’t be taking that particular incident lightly.
“We’re taking a really hard look at that gentleman,” he told ESPN.
“We know exactly who he is and where he is.
“I have to let the Attorney-General determine – is that trespassing, disturbing the peace?
“That was a serious action and it deserves a serious consequence.”
UFC President Dana White added to Tukhugov’s troubles, by pulling the up-and-coming UFC fighter from his scheduled bout again Artem Lobov on October 28.
White also added the 27-year-old would never appear in the Octagon again, and Tukhugov clearly had no regrets for his actions as he bragged in a social media post.
“I slapped him as promised. I promised to make him answer for his words and I did,” he said.
What McGregor’s teammate did to provoke Khabib’s rampage
Conor McGregor’s coach has opened up about what Dillon Danis did before Khabib Nurmagomedov went berserk.
In crazy scenes after Khabib made McGregor tap during the fourth round of their grudge match at UFC 229, the Russian fighter launched himself out of the Octagon and straight at McGregor’s teammate in the front row.
Many commentators have since theorised that Khabib was enraged by something Danis must have said.
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TMZ reported on Tuesday that Danis called Khabib a “f***ing Muslim rat” in between the second and third rounds of the fight, citing a ringside fan.
However McGregor’s coach John Kavanagh has denied those claims.
“I was standing beside Dillon. I didn’t see what he did but I could hear. He didn’t say anything,” Kavanagh said on the Joe Rogan Experience.
However Kavanagh believes a slight gesture might have ticked Khabib off, or something Danis said on social media before the fight.
“When I watched it back I could see him beckon (Nurmagomedov) on,” Kavanagh continued.
“It’s just stupid end of fight stuff. But it didn’t justify that level of response.
“Maybe there was something else in the build up. Dillon is a little bit of trouble online.”
But despite the drama, Kavanagh didn’t take too much exception to Khabib’s actions.
“It wasn’t that big of a deal to me what Khabib did. It just really wasn’t,” he said.
“I hope (Nevada State Athletic Commission) is lenient. Not just so we can get a rematch. I just love watching him fight.
“I can stretch myself to understand his reaction.”
with Yahoo Sports US.