CONOR McGREGOR has said he wants a rematch with Khabib Nurmagomedov after the Irishman lost to the Russian at UFC 229 in Las Vegas.
The fight at the T-Mobile Arena was the culmination of months of growing animosity between the two, following McGregor’s April attack on a bus Khabib was travelling on.
This week had seen the tension ramped up at pre-fight press conferences and it eventually boiled over in ugly fashion.
Khabib dominated the fight and despite McGregor improving in the third round, he submitted in the fourth following a rear-naked choke.
McGregor has since tweeted that he expects a rematch, posting: “Good knock. Looking forward to the rematch.”
Good knock. Looking forward to the rematch.
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) October 7, 2018
However Khabib could be in hot water with the Nevada Athletic Commission.
They have withheld his purse and are investigating his post-fight actions, which could see him stripped of his title.
Despite his victory, a seemingly unsatisfied Khabib scaled the cage after McGregor had submitted and headed for the Irishman’s team.
He traded punches with Dillon Danis, a ju jitsu expert who trains with McGregor.
Meanwhile members of Khabib’s party entered the Octagon, with one appearing to strike the Irishman from behind.
- Conor McGregor taps out
- Khabib exits the cage towards McGregor’s camp
- Khabib’s team jump in the cage and attack ConorCRAZY!!!!!!! #UFC229pic.twitter.com/JJ6HphbSpF
— 7 (@dr7n_) October 7, 2018
In his post-fight press conference, Khabib – who this week taunted Irish McGregor fans about being English – said McGregor had mocked his family and his religion.
Apologising to the Commission, he said: “He talked about my religion, he talked about my country, he talked about my father.
“He came to Brooklyn and he broke a bus, he almost killed a couple of people.
“What about this? What about this shit? Why do people talk about me jumping over the cage?”
UFC President Dana White said three of Nurmagomedov’s party were arrested but later released.
He added that McGregor would not be pressing charges.