Dana White Thinks Nevada Should Take a Quarter Million Dollars from Khabib Nurmagomedov
Following the UFC 229 post-fight brawl that Khabib Nurmagomedov ignited on Saturday night in Las Vegas, his immediate future rests in the hands of the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
Following his fourth-round submission of Conor McGregor, Nurmagomedov got into a heated exchange with the Irishman's corner and leapt over the Octagon fence and attacked Dillon Danis. That incident sparked a melee that saw some of Nurmagomedov's crew spill into the Octagon to attack McGregor.
Once things regained some semblance of order, the Nevada State Athletic Commission began reviewing video footage of what transpired and decided to withhold Nurmagomedov's $2 million fight purse, though it released McGregor's $3 million check.
Now, UFC president Dana White has some strong opinions on what the commission should do to Nurmagomedov, although he doesn't have the authority to determine what the commission's eventual ruling will be.
"There's too many people who don't understand why he did it, but he shouldn't have done it," White told TMZ Sports on Monday.
"(The commission) took his whole purse right now, and they're talking about keeping his purse. I do not think that that should happen. They should not be able to keep his whole purse."
So what does White think they should do? He wouldn't have them keep his entire purse, but he believes there are some pretty serious sanctions that should and could happen.
"I think they should take a quarter of a million dollars from him," White said, when pressed on what he thought the commission should do, though he insisted that Nurmagomedov would not be stripped of the UFC lightweight belt.
"Oh, he absolutely keeps his title. And, he's gonna get suspended. So maybe you give him a four to six month suspension."
NSAC chairman Anthony Marnell on Monday said that McGregor would also be facing the commission for his actions during the incident as well. McGregor was caught on video trying to scale the fence to get out of the Octagon and taking swings at other individuals in the cage.
White wasn't asked if he thought McGregor should face any sanctions in Nevada, but interestingly noted that McGregor was not allowed to fight in New York.
"He got kicked out of the state of New York. He can't fight in the state of New York," said White.
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There are no officials sanctions against McGregor in New York. He faced legal action in New York for attacking a bus full of fighters at the UFC 223 Media Day in April in Brooklyn, but that was strictly in the courts and not under the jurisdiction of the New York State Athletic Commission.
The athletic commission also issued a statement recently to MMA Fighting, stating that McGregor was not currently licensed in New York, but that, "If and when he does submit an application, the Athletic Commission will review the submission in accordance with our rules and regulations."
