Despite an impressive showing in the Octagon at UFC 229, Khabib Nurmagomedov's actions after the match could have a lasting impact on the lightweight champion.
UFC president Dana White confirmed to reporters that the Nevada State Athletic Commission is withholding Nurmagomedov's purse pending an investigation; they are not withholding McGregor's purse. Additionally, the state commission could fine and suspend Nurmagomedov for his post-fight actions. White acknowledged that depending on the severity of the suspension, Nurmagomedov could even be stripped of the lightweight title.
“We’ll see,” White said during the post-fight press conferences. “The NSAC is going to hand down some type of fine or suspension, we’ll see. I don’t know. If he gets suspended, it depends how long it is but yeah he will probably get stripped if it’s a long suspension.”
Immediately after he submitted Conor McGregor in the fourth round via rear naked choke, Nurmagomedov turned towards McGregor's corner, tossed his mouthpiece, then jumped out of the Octagon and charged towards McGregor's jiu-jitsu coach, Dillon Danis. While the chaos broke out outside of the Octagon, three of Khabib's camp jumped into it to attack a recovering McGregor. UFC featherweight fighter Zubaira Tukhugov was reportedly one of those involved in the blindsided attack on McGregor.
In the end, both fighters were escorted to the backstage area and gave post-fight press conferences. Nurmagomedov issued an apology.
“I want to say sorry to the athletic commission,” Nurmagomedov said.
“Sorry to Vegas. I know this is not my best side. This is not my best side. I am a human being.”
However, the lightweight champion didn't seem to understand the fuss surrounding his post-match actions, or the potential impact it could have on his career moving forward. Nurmagomedov appeared to justify his leaving the Octagon by referencing all of the pre-fight antics brought on by McGregor. He specifically referenced the infamous bus attack from April and was clearly bothered by McGregor's personal attacks on his religion, family, and country while hyping the fight.
“I do not understand how people can talk about ‘I jumped from the cage.’” he added. “Worry about, he talked about my religion, he talk about my country, he talk about my father, he come to Brooklyn and he broke bus, he almost killed a couple people. Worry about this. Worry about this sh*t. Why people talk about ‘I jump over the cage?’ Why people still talk about this? I don’t understand.”
“I want to say something, you know, people little bit, not people, I think it is media, media change MMA,” Nurmagomedov said. “This is respect sport. This is not trash-talking sport. This is respect. I told you before, guys, I want to change this game. I don’t want people talk sh*t about, like, opponents, talk shit about his father, religion. You cannot talk about religion, you cannot talk about nation, guys, you cannot talk about this stuff. For me, this is very important.”
What happens next with these two fighters depends largely on the punishment that the NSAC hands down. McGregor
has already called for a rematch with Nurmagomedov. Should Nurmagomedov be suspended and stripped of the belt, it would seemingly set up a lightweight title match between McGregor and Tony Ferguson, who defeated Anthony Pettis earlier in the night.