The water bottle throwing incident between UFC Lightweight Champion Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz prior to UFC 202 has gone down in MMA infamy.
This incident lead to both fighters receiving big fines from the Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC), with McGregor initially getting a $150,000 fine and 50 hours of community service.
However, the NAC has now reduced the fine after a hearing this Wednesday, as McGregor will now pay a $25,000 fine and serve 25 hours of community service.
A lot of speculation built up after the reduction saying that the commission reduced the fine for McGregor due to a potential boxing match with Floyd Mayweather Jr.
NAC Athletic Director Bob Bennett stated that the commission didn’t make the change due to the possible boxing super fight.
“They’re completely two separate issues,” Bob Bennett said to MMA Junkie. “Those fights have to be approved,” Bennett added. “It wasn’t an issue that we were even looking at. (The Mayweather vs. McGregor fight) wasn’t an issue that we were even looking at. We wanted to resolve the pending litigation that he had, so that it was a win-win situation.”
Bennett also stated that the NAC would most likely approve the fight between the two if it were to come before the commission.
“That’s certainly a fight that we would approve and have in Vegas,” Bennett told USA Today. “Who wouldn’t want to regulate the two best fighters at 150 pounds in their respective unarmed combat fields? Mayweather’s a phenomenal fighter, and so is McGregor. Sure, that’s a fight we would approve.”
Following the reduction on the fine for McGregor, the NAC will also be reaching out to Nate Diaz for a potential reduction in fines as well.
“You could speculate that the commission will probably have some sort of reduction and some sort of refund coming back to date,” NSAC Chairman Anthony Marnell told MMA Junkie. “We do have a refund process if we re-hear it. My No. 1 goal is fairness. The public might see us getting really lopsided on these things, and I’m trying to keep it on the rail.”
Diaz’s original fine was for $50,000 and 50 hours of community service, there is no idea what kind of reduction Diaz could see from the NAC.
Once McGregor pays the fine and serves his community service, the UFC Lightweight Champion would be free to pursue a license to box in the state of Nevada.
