‘I was scared for my life’: Fan says UFC star McGregor tricked him before smashing phone in Miami

The fan who saw his phone allegedly stolen and smashed by Conor McGregor has said he was “scared for his life” as he was supposedly tricked by the MMA megastar before he was arrested in Miami.

British fan Ahmed Abdirak was on vacation in Florida when he bumped into the former two-division UFC world champion as they both left a Miami nightclub.

Abdirak said he was waiting for his car to be returned from the valet when he saw McGregor on his way out of the club, so he pulled out his phone to grab a pic of the Irish superstar, who reacted.

According to Abdirak, McGregor then approached him, seemingly offering a handshake. And then, once Abdirak offered his hand, the UFC star allegedly pulled the Brit towards him, ripped the phone from his hand and started to stamp on it while McGregor's bodyguards held Abdirak back.

"On the way out we were just waiting for our vehicle from the valet," Abdirak told TMZ.

"I saw Conor McGregor, so I'm there, trying to take out my little phone. And as soon as I got out my phone, he came to shake my hand, and as soon as he came to shake my hand he pulled me in and he grabbed my phone and started smashing it.

"All his security guards literally surrounded me, pushing me away. There's going to be a new video real soon.

"McGregor picked the phone up, put it in his pocket, laughed and then got in his car and they drove off."

Abdirak expanded on those comments when speaking to UK newspaper the Daily Mail, saying: "I looked into his face and his eyes were bulging. Then with his right hand, he punched the phone. It was so hard I felt the impact through my entire body.

"He walked away with that trademark McGregor strut that you see him enter the ring with in UFC.

"I'm not going to lie, I was scared for my life – the guy is a lethal weapon."

In addition, Abdirak's brother Noah told The Sun: "He is very shaken and upset. He’s a big fan of Conor McGregor. We both watch UFC MMA. That is why he tried to take a picture of him."

The fan's father, Mahamad, said in comments to MailOnline that he prefers McGregor's bitter UFC lightweight rival Khabib Nurmagomedov to the Irishman. 

"What McGregor did is exactly in his character. He’s an angry man," he said. 

"I’m not a fan of his at all. I prefer Khabib (Nurmagomedov). He’s the fighter I like to watch, not McGregor."

McGregor was later arrested for his part in the incident and charged with 'strong-arm robbery' before later being released on a $12,500 bail bond.

But UFC superstar's lawyer Sam Rabin told Irish show Newstalk Breakfast that he was confident that McGregor would avoid jail time for the incident.

"I believe at the end of the day that we will successfully defend this case," he said.

"I can't tell you what the outcome will be, but I certainly don't see him going to jail over something like this."

Meanwhile, McGregor posted a statement of his own via his Instagram page, saying: "Patience in this world is a virtue I continue to work on. I love my fans dearly. Thank you all."

The incident led to more negative headlines around the Dubliner, who is believed to be preparing for his UFC return in the summer.

"Conor McGregor's really getting on my damn nerves," said ESPN's Stephen A. Smith on sports talk show First Take. 

"I'm really getting sick and tired of him being in the news for something other than winning in the UFC octagon.

"It's been years since we've seen Conor McGregor actually win a fight. 

"We've seen him in the news for throwing a dolly at a bus. We saw him in the news for this.

"But when he had to step into the octagon against Nurmagomedov we saw what happened to him. That was a butt-whipping."