Dana White Says Khabib Nurmagomedov Will Keep Lightweight Title Despite Role in UFC 229 Brawl
UFC president Dana White told TMZ that Khabib Nurmagomedov will "absolutely" not be stripped of his lightweight title despite his role in the brawl that erupted after the final fight at UFC 229 on Saturday.
White defended Nurmagomedov's title win and said that the undefeated champion would retain the victory but will still likely get suspended.
"He absolutely keeps his title," White said. "And he's going to get suspended, so maybe you give him a four-to-six month suspension."
White added that Nurmagomedov should be fined $250,000 by the Nevada Athletic Commission rather than lose "his whole purse" or the $2 million Nurmagomedov was guaranteed to make out of the fight.
Khabib's Post-Fight Antics Overshadowed His Win, but They Also Highlighted the Inevitable
Saturday night's melee began when Nurmagomedov jumped out of the Octagon after he defeated Conor McGregor in a fourth-round submission. White told ESPN that a member of McGregor's team had been trash talking Nurmagomedov. Two of Nurmagomedov's team members then jumped the fence and began attacking McGregor.
Watch the entire interview below:
Despite being "disgusted and sick" by the brawl on Saturday, White told he was now "a little giddy" even though he still believes Nurmagomedov made the wrong decision.
"I don't think there's too many people who don't understand why he did it, but he shouldn't have done it," White said. "He's the world champion. He just beat Conor in front of the entire world. Stand up, get that belt wrapped around you. You won, you won. The guy who's yelling at you means nothing."
