UFC Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov soundly defeated Conor McGregor in the main event of UFC 229, but would then incite a brawl that will most likely get remembered most by those who checked out the event.
Dana White does believe that Nurmagomedov should get punished for what happened and has revealed what he believes that punishment should be.
“They took his whole purse right now and they’re talking about keeping his purse – I do not think that that should happen,” White told TMZ Sports. “You should not be able to keep his whole purse. I think they should take ($250,000) from him. (He) absolutely keeps his title. And he’s going to get suspended, so maybe you give him a four to six months suspension.”
Nurmagomedov has seen his purse withheld by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC), while on punishments could be on the way for the fighter.
Some have competed the UFC 229 situation to the bus attack before UFC 223, but White says those are two completely different situations, mainly because the NSAC is involved with the post-fight ruckus.
“It’s different circumstances, you guys – this wasn’t at an event,” White said. “This was in the bowels of the Barclays Center, it was a completely different situation. (McGregor) was dealing with the state of New York and the police. In this thing, (Nurmagomedov) was part of something that was regulated by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. He was at an event with more people that have ever been at an event for a UFC event in Vegas. There were tons of fans there. It’s a much different situation.”
White himself took against against Zubaira Tukhugov and Islam Makhachev for allegedly attacking McGregor during the brawl, saying neither competitor will fight in the UFC ever again.
