Conor McGregor, Artem Lobov, and the individuals who accompanied them when they stormed the Barclays Center following UFC 223 Media Day, regardless of their legal standing, will not be allowed at Friday’s UFC 223 weigh-in or at the event itself on Saturday.
The group damaged vehicles containing the fighter that participated in Thursday’s Media Day festivities, but also injured at least two fighters, whose bouts have now been canceled. Barring any last-minute substitutions, the number of canceled UFC 223 bouts because of the incident now stands at three.
Lobov was supposed to fight in the UFC 223 Early Prelims feature bout with Alex Caceres, but was immediately removed from the bout when company president Dana White found out he was involved in the melee.
Michael Chiesa was transported to the hospital from the Barclays Center after he suffered multiple cuts on his head and face, presumably caused by a van window that shattered when McGregor threw a hand truck (or appliance dolly) through it. He was initially going to try and continue to cut weight and fight, but the New York State Athletic Commission decided to pull him from his UFC 223 main card bout with Anthony Pettis.
Ray Borg, who had been slated to face Brandon Moreno in a preliminary bout on FS1, was also removed from the UFC 223 fight card. He was sitting near Chiesa on the bus and, according to MMAWeekly.com sources, he ended up getting small glass shards in his eyes, which affected his vision and caused him pain after the altercation occurred.
At least one UFC employee was injured in the fracas, as UFC exec Reed Harris on Thursday tweeted from a local hospital, saying he was there with the employee, who was believed to have suffered a broken hand.
New York Police told MMAWeekly.com that no arrest warrant had yet been issued for McGregor as of Thursday afternoon, but that they were seeking to talk to McGregor and any other individuals involved as part of an ongoing investigation into an alleged assault. By Thursday evening, that had changed and McGregor was taken into custody.
White has been extremely critical of McGregor and Lobov’s actions, but fell short of declaring any official punishment, other than to remove Lobov from his UFC 223 bout. The UFC, however, issued a formal statement Thursday evening, ensuring that measures were being taken to provide for the safety of fans and fighters, and banning McGregor, Lobov, and any other individuals involved from the weigh-ins and the event.
McGregor, of course, is also likely to face a heavy dose of legal action regardless of what charge are or are not brought against him by local authorities. Considering that he is also an Irish citizen, McGregor’s visa status could also be affected by any legal recourse.
UFC Statement on Conor McGregor Melee at UFC 223 Media Day
“During today’s media event at Barclays Center to promote UFC 223: Khabib vs. Holloway, Conor McGregor and Artem Lobov entered the building accompanied by over a dozen individuals.
The group, which included McGregor and Lobov, vandalized the vehicle that contained a number of athletes competing at the event taking place this weekend. NYPD was immediately alerted and is currently in the process of investigating the situation. UFC is working very closely with the New York Athletic Commission, Barclays Center security and law enforcement authorities. All parties are working together to ensure the highest standard of proper safety precautions are implemented to protect the fans and athletes.
The organization deems today’s disruption completely unacceptable and is currently working on the consequences that will follow. Immediately, Lobov has been removed from this weekend’s card and individuals involved in the incident are not welcome at tomorrow’s ceremonial weigh-in or Saturday’s event at Barclays Center.”
