THE NEVADA STATE Athletic Commission (NSAC) has agreed to release half of UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov’s $2m guaranteed purse following his involvement in the post-fight brawl at UFC 229 at the T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, on 6 October.
NSAC has also confirmed that the Russian and Conor McGregor will both remain suspended from fighting in Nevada indefinitely pending further investigation into their respective roles in the unpalatable scenes which travelled around the world a fortnight ago.
Former champion McGregor and his conqueror had initially been suspended for 10 days each by the Nevada State governing body.
Commission chairman Anthony Marnell recommended that Khabib receive $1m of his purse in order to meet expenses surrounding the fight, such as payment of coaches and other members of his team.
However, he could face further sanctions when the commission reconvenes on 10 December. When pay-per-view income is taken into account, ‘The Eagle’ could be due to earn somewhere in the region of $6m total, a further percentage of which may yet be seized by NSAC.
McGregor, too, could face a financial penalty following December’s meeting after he exchanged punches with Nurmagomedov’s teammates when confronted after the fight. Marnell noted at today’s hearing that, had he seen McGregor’s involvement in the melee, NSAC would likely have withheld his purse, too.
McGregor’s manager Audie Attar, however, released a statement this evening which indicated he was confident that his fighter will not face severe reprimand from Nevada:
I understand that the Nevada State Athletic Commission is doing a thorough investigation, which I am confident will benefit my client, Conor McGregor.
‘The Notorious’ released an unrelated statement of his own on Tuesday night, breaking down where the fight went wrong for him from a tactical perspective.
He also confirmed that if he does not receive an immediate rematch with Nurmagomedov, he’s willing to take on “the next in line” in the meantime.
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