The UFC 229 main event between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor will go down in MMA folklore for many reasons, the main one being because of their melee following the fight.
Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov‘s rivalry will go down as the most bitter in UFC history because of their clash both prior to and proceeding UFC 229.
‘The Eagle’ submitted McGregor in the fourth round of their vicious affair which subsequently led to a post-fight melee between both teams after Nurmagomedov hopped the cage and jumped into the crowd.
Despite their fight having taken place over seven years ago, the two still share a hatred for each other and recently continued their feud online.
Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty ImagesDaniel Cormier was paid $10,000 by Dana White to stop Khabib and McGregor’s brawl
The fight between Khabib and McGregor was one of the most anticipated combat sports fights of all time and because of that, the tickets were a hot commodity.
Former UFC double champion, Daniel Cormier would have usually been commentating on the fight, however, because of his affiliation with Nurmagomedov, he opted not to commentate the fight.
Despite not being in the commentary booth, Cormier decided to purchase tickets for himself, his wife and two children as he didn’t want to miss the action.
As tickets were in such high demand, the UFC legend admitted that he paid $10,000 for all of his tickets and had one of the best seats in the house on the front row.
However, following the fight when the melee broke out, Cormier knew that he had to try and get into the Octagon to calm down his teammate.
“I was in the building sitting in the front row with my family. This was such a hot ticket, I bought tickets for me, my wife and my two kids, $10,000 for tickets to sit right next to the Octagon,” Cormier began to explain his experience.
“When the fight happens, I jump over the Octagon to go and fight and then immediately I catch my head and go ‘I have to stop these guys’, I start stopping the fight, I calm Khabib down, I get him to leave the Octagon and Dana (White) refunds me all my money.
“He gave me all my money back, he goes, ‘Without you here we would’ve been in some crazy trouble’, because Khabib wanted his belt, Dana goes, ‘If we put the belt on this man in here right now we are going to have a riot’,” Cormier continued.
Cormier reveals a fan somehow got into the Octagon during the melee
Because there was so much carnage that ensued, it became almost impossible for security to keep a tab on who got into the Octagon during the brawls.
Members of Khabib’s team as well as McGregor’s team made their way into the Octagon to trade blows but as well as them, a fan from the crowd also somehow got into the cage.
“I was in the Octagon after holding Khabib and it was such a ruckus, a fan was in the cage, some guy jumped over and was like, ‘Where’s Conor? Is Conor ok?’, some fan is behind me yelling ‘Is Conor ok?’, I’m like somebody get this dude out of here man,” Cormier stated.