Vladimir Putin made a joke to Khabib Nurmagomedov about being “punished” for Conor McGregor fight
After submitting McGregor in 2018, former UFC champion Nurmagomedov met with Putin, who joked about a punishment for his post-fight activities.
After jumping over the octagon wall to dive at McGregor’s teammate Dillon Danis at UFC 229 Nurmagomedov caused a post-fight brawl. Several punches were thrown, and McGregor was blindsided in the octagon by two of Nurmagomedov’s allies.
The Nevada State Athletic Commission gave the Russian a nine-month suspension and a $500,000 fine, while McGregor earned a six-month suspension and a $50,000 fine. After the sentence, Nurmagomedov vowed to never fight in Las Vegas again.
Nurmagomedov met with Russian President Vladimir Putin shortly after his victory over McGregor, beside his late father. Putin joked that after his convincing victory over his opponent, he would urge his father and coach Abdulmanap not to penalize him for his post-fight activities.
“Of course, you weren’t part of a team; you were on your own. You didn’t do it for your country; you did it for yourself. You are a Russian citizen, and no matter where they are or what we do, we are not indifferent to our countrymen,” Putin stated.
“This is why we were paying close attention, and I will beg your father not to punish you harshly because you achieved your major goal, won with dignity, and [it] was compelling. I believe that we are all one large family in our country.”
“Regardless of what happens, we must try to avoid acting rashly, such as prosecuting someone. In the family, anything can happen, but we never allow ourselves to cross the boundary.”
“Of course, if we’re attacked from the outside, not just you, but all of us could react in this way, and there could be hell to pay. However, it is preferable to avoid such a course of action.”
“For the time being, they are just talking about my leap, even though I performed fairly well,” Nurmagomedov responded. “In comparison to his disregard for me, my parents, and my nation, I conducted myself with dignity. Of course, there were times when I couldn’t contain myself because they were provocations, even during the fight.”
