Khabib Nurmagomedov's win over Conor McGregor in the main event of UFC 229 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas was a "smash hit at the box office," with a live gate of $17.2M and an announced crowd of 20,034, marking the "second-highest box office number for the promotion," according to Steven Marrocco of MMA JUNKIE (MMA JUNKIE, 10/7). The AP's Greg Beacham reported just moments after his win, Nurmagomedov "climbed the cage and leaped at the men in McGregor’s corner, setting off a prolonged brawl inside and outside the octagon." It was a "seminal moment" in MMA that was "immediately overshadowed by a tawdry ending" (AP, 10/7). In Las Vegas, Adam Hill reported Nurmagomedov "appeared to be going after Dillon Danis, a Bellator fighter who serves as McGregor's jiu-jitsu coach." The skirmish "sparked a massive brawl with fans pushing their way through barricades and attempting to join the fray" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 10/7). Also in Las Vegas, John Katsilometes reported UFC President Dana White at one point "charged in to help restore order" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 10/7).
'NOT WHAT WE DO': ESPN.com's Arash Markazi reported the Nevada State Athletic Commission "could fine and suspend Nurmagomedov, the degree of which could result in his belt being stripped" (ESPN.com, 10/7). In N.Y., George Willis reported White did "not present the winner with his belt as is the custom, instead ordering everyone to their locker rooms" (NY POST, 10/7). In Las Vegas, Case Keefer reported White said, "This is not what we do; this is not what we’re about; this is not how we act. It's unfortunate that tonight when the most people are watching, this (expletive) show goes on" (LAS VEGAS SUN, 10/7). Also in Las Vegas, Alan Snel reported it was an "ugly end to UFC's mega fight show," which resulted in Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval “running out of the building." White: "The governor running out of the building is not a good thing" (LV SPORTS BIZ, 10/7).
HORRIFIC INCIDENT: ESPN.com's Brett Okamoto wrote the events made a "mockery of what was otherwise a hard-fought, back-and-forth championship fight at the highest level" (ESPN.com, 10/7). In Washington, DC, Joe DePaolo wrote it was a "brilliant fight marred by a horrific incident" (WASHINGTON POST, 10/7). Keefer wrote it was the "rare night where everything appeared to be living up to the hype for the UFC, topped by resolution finally coming in one of the sport's biggest all-time grudge matches." Then Nurmagomedov "lost his composure, and everything changed" (LAS VEGAS SUN, 10/7). Keefer also wrote instead of being "remembered like a Super Bowl or Stanley Cup Final ... it will go down as a night that Nurmagomedov spun out of control" (LAS VEGAS SUN, 10/7).
