UFC champ Conor McGregor responds to $150,000 fine from NSAC: 'Good luck trying to get it'

UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor believes the punishment levied on him by the Nevada State Athletic Commission was way overboard, and his response will be to avoid all fights in Nevada for the “foreseeable future.”

McGregor (20-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) was issued a $150,000 fine and given 50 hours of community service for his part in the memorable UFC 202 pre-fight news conference incident with Nate Diaz. McGregor, opponent Nate Diaz (19-11 MMA, 14-9 UFC) and both their respective fight teams began tossing objects at each other inside the venue at MGM Grand Las Vegas, with “The Notorious” launching several full water bottles and Monster Energy Drink cans in Diaz’s direction.

The NSAC expressed extreme disappointment with McGregor’s part in the incident, bumping an originally proposed $25,000 fine up to $150,000, which equaled five percent of his $3 million fight purse for his majority decision win over Diaz at UFC 202.

Although McGregor, who next competes in a lightweight title bout with champ Eddie Alvarez (28-4 MMA, 3-1 UFC) in the main event of UFC 205 on Nov. 12 in New York City, called into the meeting and apologized to the commission for his actions, he was still given the harsh sanction, which he admits has deterred him from competing in Nevada going forward.

“I don’t see Nevada in my future, for the foreseeable future is how I see it,” McGregor told RollingStone.com. “I’m free to do what I want. … I’m good. I’m good. New York, New York. That’s what I think.”

Additionally, McGregor didn’t exactly express interest in rushing to the bank to send the NSAC the funds they demand.

“I thought they might respect (me calling in) a little bit more,” McGregor said. “I owned up. I man’d up. I’m here. I apologized. I’m not trying to blame nobody, although they fired the rounds off first. I didn’t think they would even go that route because I didn’t think this was like a real thing. Are they going to come and arrest me or what the (expletive) is that?

“I wanted to give them the respect, and I felt they would have respected that, but they didn’t. So, whatever. It is what it is. Good luck trying to get it.”

McGregor wasn’t the only one involved in the chaotic UFC 202 news conference scene. Diaz threw the first bottle, in fact, but his hearing was pushed back to a later date, meaning his punishment has yet to be issued. Although he thinks the entire situation is somewhat absurd, McGregor said it’s only fair for Diaz to receive similar treatment, though he wishes neither side had to deal with the matter.

“I do not wish to see Nate get any more or any less than me,” McGregor said. “I don’t want to see either of us have something like this happen. But we’ll see what happens. I don’t know. If they went that way on me, I don’t know what way they’re going to go on him. He threw the bottle first, but I don’t wish he get more than me or anything like that. I just wish we’d get it sorted out and get on with it and carry on.”

Nevertheless, McGregor understands he put himself in a position to be at the mercy of the NSAC, which history has proven is somewhere no fighter should want to be. Whether McGregor pays the fine remains to be seen, but it’s clear he has no desire to compete in Nevada again.

“Respect to them,” McGregor said of the NSAC. “They wanted me to pay them and work for them at the same time. How can I not respect that? Good luck to them.”

For complete coverage of UFC 202, check out the UFC Events section of the site.