Bruce Buffer has recalled the horror of having a front row seat for Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor’s post-fight brawl.
Controversy struck at UFC 229 when Khabib jumped out of the Octagon seconds after defeating McGregor and targeted his Irishman’s team members.
Khabib’s camp then stormed the ring and assaulted a startled McGregor as chaos reigned on the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
On Saturday, Khabib makes his first return to the Octagon since the incident, as he takes on Dustin Poirier in Abu Dhabi.
Ring announcer Buffer will once again be at the side of the Octagon, just as he was when the drama ensued in October 2018.
Bruce Buffer has recalled the horror of having a front row seat for Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor ’s post-fight brawl.
But this time, he hopes the night of fighting can go down without incident.
“It was a horrific way to end an amazing evening because it was such an incredible night of fighting,” Buffer told Mirror Sport as he attended the PokerStars European Poker Tour Barcelona last week.
“Khabib, I really like him a lot. He is one of the coolest cats around and is very polite and very respectful.
“I am not going to condone him by saying this, but he had his switch turned and that is why he jumped out of the Octagon and went after the people that he went after.
“I am not saying that is right, because it is not. It is completely wrong. But he has paid the price for it; he has got the fine and Conor as a result was fined also.
“It brought a lot more eyeballs to the UFC.
“Khabib went from having one million Instagram followers to about 15 or 12 million followers or something.
“It is amazing how negative incidents can create so much publicity.”
Buffer added: “Rivalries are great for the UFC, but incidents like that are not great for the UFC. It is not what the UFC is about.
“We are martial artists and we show respect to everybody.”
- The PokerStars No Limit Hold’em Championship will take place during the European Poker Tour Barcelona at Casino Barcelona from August 20 to 24, 2020. The launch, assisted by Bruce Buffer, saw five Platinum Pass tickets given away which are valued at $30,000 each. Click here for more information.
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