Following last nights (Oct 6, 2018) wild ending to an otherwise spectacular UFC 229 Khabib Nurmagomedov’s manager Ali Abdelaziz has issued a statement regarding the post-fight brawl.
Conor McGregor pulled out all the stops to hype UFC 229’s main event. But the Irishman made it personal when he verbally attacked Khabib’s father, his country, and his manager Abdelaziz).
There are so many moving parts to last nights brawl. McGregor hurling a dolly at a bus full of people. The UFC then using that footage to promote the fight. That promotion could be called questionable.
Footage has emerged today that shows Abdelaziz being in the thick of the chaos outside the cage. Abdelaziz was a big part of the narrative leading up to the fight and thus felt compelled to share his thoughts on the night. (via Instagram):
The ‘Apology’
“I want to congratulate my brother @khabib_nurmagomedov The undisputed, undefeated pound for pound king. There was never 2 Kings from beginning, only one king. This is not the way we want to celebrate such a dominant performance but when you talk about people’s country, family and religion and intentionally try to kill someone like he said and the cornermen running their mouths after, this is the fight game & shit happens.
“The fans got an amazing fight and a great show. I want apologize to the Nevada athletic commission, the governer of Nevada and I want to thank Las Vegas police department and security for doing such an unbelievable job. Now everyone understands who’s the amateur here.”
The Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) has withheld Khabib’s purse from UFC 229. He will likely face a fine and lengthy suspension. His U.S. visa renewal could be impacted and his status as the lightweight champion is not guaranteed.
Much like Khabib’s half-hearted apology at the post-fight press conference, Abdelaziz defers much of the blame to McGregor. It seems everyone is sorry but no one wants to admit fault.
UFC 229 was the biggest and most important event in the sport’s history. The hype was real. The card delivered one of the best rivalries in UFC history as a result. The champion’s career-defining win has been overshadowed.
And that’s just a shame. Was Abdelaziz’s “apology” enough?
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