Conor McGregor Facing Assault Charges After Mayhem at UFC Event in NYC
Mixed martial artist and boxer Conor McGregor is facing legal trouble after he and cohorts created a ruckus at an Ultimate Fighting Championship press event at the Barclay's Center in Brooklyn, NY on Thursday ahead of this weekend's UFC 223 pay-per-view event.
ESPN reports that McGregor is facing three counts of misdemeanor assault and one count of felony criminal mischief following the incident, in which an irate McGregor threw a metal hand truck through the window of a bus carrying other UFC fighters who were scheduled to participate in Saturday's fight card. Two matches slated for the event have been canceled as a result of injuries sustained by fighters.
Video of McGregor's rampage through the technical area of the Barclay's Center made the rounds on social media.
While McGregor has long been a cash cow for the UFC, headlining four of the six highest grossing pay-per-view events in the promotion's history, his goodwill with the organization may have run out.
UFC President Dana White told ESPN that while McGregor was apologetic in text messages on Thursday evening, he would not help McGregor deal with the legal aftermath of his violent outburst.
Despite a history of controversies and public incidents, McGregor was once considered the UFC's golden child and the face of the company. Discord between McGregor and the UFC began after McGregor, while holding both the UFC lightweight and featherweight titles, took time away from mixed martial arts to focus on a blockbuster boxing match against Floyd Mayweather, Jr. in the summer of 2017. Questions began to emerge about if and when McGregor would return to the UFC to defend either title.
McGregor was stripped of the featherweight title in November of 2016 so the UFC could focus on him as the lightweight champion. After 510 days as lightweight champion, McGregor was reportedly enraged when the UFC staged an interim championship bout in October 2017 with Tony Ferguson becoming the division's interim champion. The UFC had planned to name an undisputed lightweight champion at Saturday's UFC 223 event but contender Max Holloway forced by doctors to withdraw due to the severity of his attempted weight cut.
McGregor's standing with the UFC and his ability to obtain either a license to fight or a work visa in the United States remain to be seen as the aftermath of Tuesday's escapade continues to unfold.