Ultimate Fighting Championship president Dana White said he has warned Khabib Nurmagomedov of a possible arrest after the ugly scenes that followed the Russian's win over Conor McGregor at UFC 229 on Saturday in Las Vegas.
White shed light on the post-fight conversation with the Russian UFC star who retained the lightweight title with considerable ease.
Khabib: If I get arrested, want to do it with my belt on
"You're going to be lucky if you're not going to be arrested," White told Nurmagomedov, as quoted by the BBC.
Replying to the warning, Nurmagomedov, according to the UFC president, had said if he gets arrested he wants to "do it with his belt on."
The lightweight belt was not handed over to Nurmagomedov inside the cage as White said he feared an escalation of the chaotic situation.
Nurmagomedov lived up to his billing and handed McGregor his second defeat in UFC via submission in the fourth round. Soon after the end of the hard-fought match, the Russian jumped over the cage and started a brawl.
The 30-year-old undefeated champion was seen fighting with Dillon Danis, a Bellator welterweight who trains with McGregor. Security officials were quick to react as they took the Russian fighter away from the Irishman's team.
At the same time, McGregor, who was wearing a devastated look after the defeat on return to the UFC, was attacked by a couple of men from Nurmagomedov's team after vaulting into the cage.
McGregor tried to defend himself from the attacks before security personnel stepped in even as White was seen pleading both the parties to help stop the chaos.
'Conor's guy was trash talking at Khabib'
White also confirmed that trash talk from Conor McGregor's teammate aimed at Khabib Nurmagomedov led to the chaotic scenes.
"Khabib jumped over the cage going after Conor's guy who was talking trash to him and all hell broke loose. I don't know what to say right now, I'm just sick over it," White said, as quoted by the BBC.
The UFC president also revealed McGregor's reaction to the fight and the post-fight melee.
"I've just talked with him [Conor] he's upset about the fight, not about the fight after the fight," White added.
"I know if we put the belt on him [Khabib] in the octagon there'll be things thrown. I just said let's just try and get him out of here.
"Both men made it clear that the rivalry would not be over after the fight, but I definitely didn't see Khabib jumping over the fence after the fight."
Both McGregor and Nurmagomedov were escorted out of the T-Mobile Arena by the security officials amid the ugly scenes.
White also confirmed three of Nurmgomedov's men were arrested after the post-fight brawl. He insisted that if the arrested men were UFC fighters, then they would be banned from the MMA promotion brand.
McGregor's fight payment was released soon after the match but Nurmagomedov's has been withheld pending an investigation, according to White.
