Well the Irish fans seemed to get to Eddie Alvarez, eh?
Five fighters took to the stage at the beginning of Thursday night’s UFC 205 pre-fight press conference, with one empty chair behind a nametag that read ‘Conor McGregor’.
Every answer Alvarez delivered to reporters was drowned out by a chorus of boos in New York City as McGregor supporters of unprecedented noise levels let the defending UFC lightweight champion know whose side they were on.
“I’m half Irish and I’m disappointed in the country of Ireland right now that this is their representative. This is your representative!” Alvarez roared as he motioned towards the seat that was supposed to be filled by a predictably tardy McGregor.
“Where is he?”
Shortly thereafter, Alvarez was gone.
Alvarez gone. #ufc205 pic.twitter.com/ngih2d2bdb
— Darragh Murphy (@DarrMurphy) November 10, 2016
He didn’t reappear until McGregor showed his face, dancing before bellowing “I’m sorry I’m late but I just don’t give a fuck!”
That followed a belt snatch, the second of McGregor’s career, as he placed Alvarez’s lightweight gold beside his own 145lbs strap.
That prompted Alvarez to rush back to the stage and lightly throw a folding chair in the direction of his rival’s legs.
McGregor snapped and came close to throwing the same chair right back into the American’s face.
Well that kicked right off #ufc205 pic.twitter.com/xwZs6zfOBA
— Darragh Murphy (@DarrMurphy) November 10, 2016
Luckily UFC president Dana White was able to separate the fighters before security intervened.
“I wonder how much a chair would cost me,” McGregor joked as he sat down, in a reference to the fine he received for his bottle throwing exchange with Nate Diaz ahead of UFC 202.
Saturday night is going to be intense.
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