Russian champ Nurmagomedov’s return to the UFC remains undecided, as the Nevada Athletic Commission consents to a continuance in his hearing to determine punishment for the melee after his bout with Conor McGregor in October.
The UFC lightweight champion was scheduled to be represented at a hearing in Las Vegas on Monday to determine the specific sanctions for his part in the brawl which occurred immediately after his fourth-round submission victory against McGregor on October 6.
However, Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC) chairman Bob Bennett told MMA Fighting that Nurmagomedov’s legal team requested a continuance in the case should the two parties fail to agree to a adjudication agreement in advance of the NAC’s monthly meeting in December.
The commission is next scheduled to meet on January 29, with both Nurmagomedov and McGregor’s disciplinary hearings set to be on the agenda. McGregor was granted a similar continuance in the matter last week.
The issue is the latest legal ramification from the blockbuster UFC main event between Nurmagomedov and McGregor more than two months ago. Nurmagomedov, apparently reacting to comments from McGregor’s corner, leapt from the cage to attack the Irishman’s training partner Dillon Danis.
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At much the same time, at least three members of Nurmagomedov’s entourage entered the cage and became involved with McGregor. No one was arrested following the incident, as McGregor declined to press charges.
The Irishman also faces the prospect of a substantial fine and a suspension for his part in the brawl. Danis and the members of Nurmagomedov’s team who became involved, including Zubaira Tukhogov and Abubakar Nurmagomedov, are all also under indefinite suspension.
Also on rt.com McGregor fan banned from UFC events after rushing to Irish star’s aid during Khabib fracasSpeaking last week, UFC president Dana White suggested that any suspension longer than one year levied upon Nurmagomedov would “not be fair.”
“I can’t see them giving Khabib over a year,” White said.
“If it’s over a year, come on man. That would not be fair. The whole thing was over in 40 seconds, nobody got touched, nobody got hurt. Nothing happened. I think that the commission has to send a message and I hope it’s not over a year. I don’t think that would be fair.”