HERE. WE. GO!!!!!
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will hold a special pre-fight press conference today (Thurs., Sept. 20, 2018), bringing Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov together for the first time since last April’s Brooklyn bus attack. And what better place to get it done than “The Empire State?”
McGregor, who will try to recapture the lightweight title he never lost, challenges defending 155-pound champion Nurmagomedov in the UFC 229 pay-per-view (PPV) main event, scheduled for Sat., Oct. 6, 2018, inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, with “Prelims” on FOX Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass.
As for today’s presser, that goes down inside Radio City Music Hall in New York City promptly at 5 p.m. ET (assuming “Notorious” shows up on time, which he hasn’t as of 5:40 p.m. ET).
You can watch the proceedings LIVE right here in the embedded video player above. While the press conference is closed to the public (unless you’re packing this), fans in lower Manhattan can actually watch the action go down on the world-famous “Mega-Zilla” video screen in Times Square (details here). Or, you can just stick around here and we’ll share some highlights below:
The stage is set!
Here’s where Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov will be squaring off (in a press conference) later tonight. pic.twitter.com/PxkW4d10S6
— Greg Rosenstein (@grosenstein) September 20, 2018
Slainte!
Who else is sipping on that Proper during this #UFC229PressConference pic.twitter.com/PNqI74fzF7
— Rogue One 38 (@RogueOne38) September 20, 2018
Seems like this is a must-watch:
Before the #ufc229 press conference began the media sat through a special viewing of the Matt Hughes documentary called A Country Boy Can Survive. Hughes was on hand watching for the first time. pic.twitter.com/CyksytuhnI
— FanSided MMA (@FanSidedMMA) September 20, 2018
Is McGregor going to snatch that belt?
If this doesn't give you a sense of how close Khabib and Conor will be from one another, it's approximately eight feet.
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) September 20, 2018
This could get interesting very quickly. pic.twitter.com/g7iGaBy7SO
This!
A Conor McGregor press conference with no audience is a ridiculous idea. The crowd helps make these press events special. Who cares about the media questions? Conor thrives in high energy environments. #UFC229
— JE Snowden (@JESnowden) September 20, 2018
The McGregor effect is real ...
— OddsShark (@OddsShark) September 20, 2018
Uh-huh ...
It wouldn’t be a Conor McGregor press conference without at least 27 minutes of waiting #UFC229
— FloCombat (@FloCombat) September 20, 2018
Getting closer!
HE’S HERE! #UFC229 pic.twitter.com/H9cPRr2BFo
— UFC (@ufc) September 20, 2018
Someone, somewhere just lost a bet:
Khabib Nurmagomedov just grabbed his UFC championship belt and walked off the stage.
— Greg Rosenstein (@grosenstein) September 20, 2018
Better late than never!
I think we're starting....
— Adam Hill (@AdamHillLVRJ) September 20, 2018
Lots of belts ...
Conor McGregor walks up to the dias with his two belts and big bottle of @ProperWhiskey. Here comes Khabib, with his title. #UFC229
— Justin Golightly (@SecretMovesMMA) September 20, 2018
Where’s all that security?
Khabib and Conor McGregor watching each other. pic.twitter.com/MCcxvv0SYS
— MMA History Today (@MMAHistoryToday) September 20, 2018
Yeah, this was a dumb decision.
Conor McGregor opens by complaining about the promoter not filling Radio City Music Hall with fans #UFC229
— Mike Allardyce (@mikedyce) September 20, 2018
McGregor is fired up!
"Here's my location, do something about it. You'll do nothing." pic.twitter.com/UBUZMC3uZU
— Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com (@SeanRossSapp) September 20, 2018
That didn’t take long ...
Conor McGregor turning the presser into a promotional event for his whiskey and not #UFC229 pic.twitter.com/AEG9Z8xf9I
— Mike Allardyce (@mikedyce) September 20, 2018
Going off the rails fast:
The champ expects a long night at #UFC229 pic.twitter.com/s9bo5WEK1Z
— UFC Canada (@UFC_CA) September 20, 2018
Sure seems like it:
Conor is going out of his way here to try to hype this up, but the UFC has done everything they can to suppress the environment. They're making it as difficult as possible for him to do his thing.#UFC229
— Iain Kidd (@iainkidd) September 20, 2018
Sums it up so far!
Conor McGregor just unloading....
— Mike Allardyce (@mikedyce) September 20, 2018
Khabib just calm, thinking... this is No. 1 bulls*t pic.twitter.com/6ACnbXv3iu
About that bus incident ...
McGregor on the UFC 223 bus incident: If you would have got out that bus, you'd be dead, and I'd be in a cell. #UFC229
— Bloody Elbow (@BloodyElbow) September 20, 2018
Instead, it just got messy.
"When the person you were looking for showed up, you took a shit on the back of a bus, so shut your mouth. It's got to do with me and you. Everything else is bollocks. Let's have a knock, mate." - Conor McGregor #UFC229
— Justin Golightly (@SecretMovesMMA) September 20, 2018
This was a good one:
Conor to Khabib: "You're going to be wrestling my knuckle out of your orbital bone" #UFC229
— Damon Martin (@DamonMartin) September 20, 2018
He’s on a roll ...
Khabib: You come for money, I came for legacy.
— Mike Allardyce (@mikedyce) September 20, 2018
McGregor: I have money....#UFC229 #UFC229PressConference
But, overall, yeah ...
This conference #UFC229 pic.twitter.com/rNdREWW4Kf
— Serena DeJesus (@SerenaSouthpaw) September 20, 2018
It’s come down to this:
Pretty much impossible to tell what they're saying. Conor and Khabib are just shouting over each other. Conor standing and pointing at Khabib. #UFC229
— MMAFighting.com (@MMAFighting) September 20, 2018
A rare moment of clarity!
McGregor on his wrestling training: I'm very, very well coached...We're ready here. We're ready for war. We're ready for all outcomes, all scenarios. We're going to go out and win on Oct. 6.
— Heidi Fang (@HeidiFang) September 20, 2018
McGregor is going all-in:
Khabib has maintained his composure thus far, but he looked legitimately perturbed when Conor made fun of his religion.
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) September 20, 2018
The Irishman is sharp as a tack:
Khabib: I gonna make him tired and play with him. When he tired. he always give up. He move to box and tap there.
— Justin Golightly (@SecretMovesMMA) September 20, 2018
McGregor: You tapped the bus window. I'll tap your head off the canvas, kid. #UFC229
Prediction!
Conor McGregor makes his prediction for #UFC229! pic.twitter.com/7Uu7xjPdKS
— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) September 20, 2018
This really happened.
Conor making bird noises at Khabib during Dana's question? LMAO #UFC229
— Tommy Toe Hold (@TommyToeHold) September 20, 2018
Oh boy ... he’s going all-in again:
Conor now bringing up Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov and Khabibs' dad #UFC229
— José Youngs (@JoseYoungs) September 20, 2018
McGregor has done his homework on Chechnya and Russia ...
Conor McGregor does his due diligence better than just about any fighter ever.
— Luke Thomas (@lthomasnews) September 20, 2018
I never thought I'd watch a UFC press conference where, Vladimir Putin, Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov & Magomedov were brought up between the competitors.
— Heidi Fang (@HeidiFang) September 20, 2018
Oh boy ...
There’s police on both sides of the stage perking up.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) September 20, 2018
Figures!
McGregor did have a good closing line about how his whiskey that is a sponsor of the show will be on the canvas like Khabib's blood will be on the canvas. Lack of fans hurt. Conor was overall boring and Khabib clearly ddn't want to be there.
— Dave Meltzer (@davemeltzerWON) September 20, 2018
THIS WAS INTENSE!
The #UFC229 press conference is over.
— OddsShark (@OddsShark) September 20, 2018
How do you think this will effect the fight odds? pic.twitter.com/wVmKIBhHtH
And last but not least:
Conor McGregor just went off on Ali Abdelaziz and Dana White kicks Ali out of the press conference.
— Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com (@SeanRossSapp) September 20, 2018
That’s a wrap!
For much more on UFC 229 click here.
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