The UFC have released audio of Khabib Nurmagomedov’s and Conor McGregor’s exchanges during their Lightweight title fight at UFC 229 in Las Vegas last weekend.
Nurmagomedov defended his 155 pound belt with a convincing performance against McGregor that saw him submit the Dubliner via a neck crank in the fourth round.
Both fighters entered the fight with tensions at a high after a strenuous build up that saw a bus attack at a UFC 223 media day used as the main driver in promotiong the fight.
Nuramgomedov, as he has done in previous fights, began talking to McGregor during the fight and requested that they ‘Talk now’ as he rained down punches on top of the former two-weight world champion.
McGregor was also picked up saying, “It’s only business” at the end of the third round.
https://twitter.com/ufc/status/1050823977264930816
Nurmagomedov jumped out of the cage and attacked McGregor’s teammates after this fight and the Russian said at his post-fight press conference that the Crumlin native had crossed lines during the promotion of the fight, a point which McGregor seems to reference during the fight by saying ‘it’s only business’.
“What’s up guys. I want to say sorry to the athletic commission, sorry to Vegas,” said Nurmagomedov.
“This is not my best side, I’m a human being and I don’t know how people can talk about me jumping out the cage.
“What about him talking about my family, my religion, the bus? Why are people talking about me jumping over the cage? My father talks to me about respect.
“They call him a two-time champion, two-weight world champion but he taps. People, the media change MMA. This is a respect sport, not a trash talking sport. Guys, you cannot talk about religion. This stuff is important.
“I know my father is going to smash me when I go home, Nevada, sorry, Vegas, sorry. Thank you so much, I am very proud.
“Putin just called me and told me he’s very proud of me, he said congratulations. I said everything was going to change on October 6th.”
