The fight game is anxiously awaiting just what – if any – Conor McGregor’s punishment will be after he stormed the cage and caused an all-out melee while celebrating with victorious teammate Charlie Ward at yesterday’s (Fri., November 10, 2017) Bellator 187 from Dublin, Ireland.
McGregor sent a resonating earthquake through mixed martial arts when he shoved referee Marc Goddard after the longtime official put his hands on him to force McGregor to give him space to check on Ward’s clearly injured foe John Redmond, and ‘The Notorious’ responded in kind by giving Goddard, with whom he clearly has history, a more powerful shove.
He was cleared from the cage shortly thereafter, but only extended the insane melee even further by climbing onto the cage wall and slapping a security guard named Mike Johnson in the face. The entire event left many in MMA wondering what will happen to McGregor for the disturbing incidents, as fighters like Roy Nelson and Jason High have been suspended and even cut from the UFC for far less violent acts involving in-cage officials.
So with a heap of controversy on their shoulders, Mike Mazzulli, the president of the Association of Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports (ABC), the director of the Mohegan Tribe Department of Athletic Regulation (MTDAR) that regulates Bellator events in the States, and also the lead regulator who was flown overseas at Bellator 187, issued a statement on the chaos via MMA Fighting describing McGregor’s actions as having ‘jeopardized the safety’ of the fighters present and also ‘assaulted’ Goddard and Bellator staff:
“While the Mohegan Tribe Department of Athletic Regulation (MTDAR) was regulating Bellator 187 in Dublin, Ireland, on November 10, 2017, the following events took place during the Ward vs Redmond bout.
Mr. Conor McGregor who was a spectator at the time, disrupted the event by scaling the cage prior to the conclusion of the bout. Mr. McGregor’s conduct jeopardized the health and safety of the bout participants by delaying necessary medical attention to the fighters that were injured during the round.
In addition, Mr. McGregor assaulted Referee Mark Goddard and a Bellator staff.
The MTDAR has been in consultation with the upper management of the UFC regarding Mr. McGregor’s inappropriate and unacceptable behavior.
The MTDAR has also contacted members of the Association of Boxing Commissioners that have licensed Mr. McGregor in their jurisdictions to inform them of Mr. McGregor’s behavior.”
The specifications of what could and will happen to McGregor are extremely cloudy at this point, as Mazzulli said any potential fines and suspensions would have to be handed down by a commission McGregor was licensed in, and he’s only fought in Las Vegas and New York the past two years. That means the NSAC or NYSAC would have to decide to punish him for the bizarre occurrence, which could most certainly take place.
For his part, Goddard issued a statement on the scene earlier today but chose to focus more on his commitment to MMA and the values he brings to each fight rather than call out McGregor for his specific actions as Mazzulli did above.
What are your thoughts on the issue? Should McGregor be suspended and/or fined significantly for causing unnecessary all-out chaos at Bellator 187?
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