“Irish guys were drunk and Muslims were sober,” Dana White recaps details of horrifying Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor brawl

Explore Dana White's perspective on the fallout from UFC 229, including his comments on anticipating the incident and the challenges of controlling the situation afterward.

“Irish guys were drunk and Muslims were sober,” Dana White recaps details of horrifying Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor brawl

Dana White on the infamous post-fight brawl between the teams of Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor (Image via: IMAGO)

UFC 229 was a landmark event in the history of the promotion. Khabib Nurmagomedov defeated Conor McGregor in the main event, and his fame skyrocketed. However, the incident also put a black mark in the UFC’s promotional history. Nurmagomedov made the infamous brawl out of the cage, much to the dismay of the Nevada State Athletic Commission and UFC CEO Dana White.

Dana White spoke of the incident in his recent appearance on the Games with Names podcast of Julian Edelman. White stated that they had anticipated something like that and thus were able to take control of the situation. However, they could not control the situation outside the venue. This is what White said about it.

The problem was after, you know, you had Irish guys and Russian guys fighting out. That was the problem. All the Irish guys were drunk, and the Muslims were sober.
Dana White via Games With Names podcast
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White also stated that both McGregor and Nurmagomedov had to face financial repercussions, which amounted to $2 million. He also stated that contrary to popular belief, he was not a fan of such incidents happening. Nonetheless, White remarked that irrespective of the unfortunate incidents, McGregor and Nurmagomeodv are among the best ever to do MMA.

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Nurmagomedov fought only twice after UFC 229 and retired undefeated. Conor McGregor fought thrice after it. However, he has not fought since UFC 264, when he broke his leg. Fight fans highly anticipate the return of McGregor, which will most likely be in late 2024.

Dana White praises Valentina Shevchenko

UFC CEO Dana White spoke highly of the fighters from the Caucasus region in his appearance at the Games With Names podcast. On the podcast, Julian Edelman revealed that he was not an MMA fan at first, but the performance of fighters from Dagestan impressed him, particularly Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Dana White on Valentina Shevchenko
Dana White on Valentina Shevchenko (image credit- IMAGO)

White hilariously revealed that people from that part come from tough upbringings, unlike the US. Moreover, he stated that people who come from a nation that ends in ‘sthan’ are very likely to be tough. White also stated that it was irrespective of gender and cited the example of Valentina Shevchenko from Kyrgyzstan. The UFC CEO remarked that Shevchenko is a bada**.

Shevchenko was the long-reigning champion of the UFC’s flyweight division. However, she lost the belt to Alexa Grasso, and the immediate rematch ended in a split draw. In addition to MMA, Shevchenko is a shooting expert. UFC commentator and comedian Joe Rogan has remarked in the past that Shevchenko is a scary individual.

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