After such a chaotic scene in Dublin last night, the MMA world is talking about Marc Goddard and Conor McGregor…
Bellator 187 went down in Dublin, Ireland last night with a reasonably solid card. MMA fans were treated to a night of decent fights, including AJ McKee and Kimbo Slice Jr. with victorious efforts.
Unfortunately, the evening was marred during Charlie Ward’s TKO win over John Redmond. Ward is the training partner of Conor McGregor, a fellow Irishman and an ex-UFC fighter who was cut after some brutal losses.
Emotions were running high for Ward and his countryman McGregor during Friday night’s action. Ward managed to land a fight finishing blow on his opponent, and at this moment it all went to s***.
Jumping the cage, ‘The Notorious’ attempted to celebrate with his teammate. Under the rules, this is strictly not allowed. Only licensed cornermen, fighters, and officials would still be allowed in the cage at this time.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BbU71n7HkVY/?hl=en&taken-by=bellatormma
Bellator Shamelessly Soaking Up The Moment
Although Bellator seemed happy to use this controversy as good publicity, the reality is that McGregor’s behavior was shameful. Just hours after Congress blasted the UFC for their treatment of fighters, McGregor makes MMA fighters look like classless apes.
A respected UFC referee and former MMA fighter Marc Goddard, however, was all class in his response. It was Goddard who warned McGregor off in Gdansk, and he held his ground last night at Bellator 187.
Unlike McGregor, Goddard was all class in his reaction:
I operate with integrity, belief and values.
I hold MMA in a deep rooted place in my life and have considered myself most fortunate to have done so for so long.
Family first. Everything else second.
Respect.
— Marc Goddard (@marcgoddard_uk) November 11, 2017
The Commission Was Not as Restrained
Speaking after the shambles in Dublin, the Athletic Commission that oversaw the action condemned McGregor:
While the Mohegan Tribe Department of Athletic Regulation (MTDAR) was regulating Bellator 187 in Dublin, Ireland, on November 10, 2017, the following events took place during the Ward vs Redmond bout.
Mr. Conor McGregor who was a spectator at the time, disrupted the event by scaling the cage prior to the conclusion of the bout. Mr. McGregor’s conduct jeopardized the health and safety of the bout participants by delaying necessary medical attention to the fighters that were injured during the round.
In addition, Mr. McGregor assaulted Referee Mark Goddard and a Bellator staff
The MTDAR has been in consultation with the upper management of the UFC regarding Mr. McGregor’s inappropriate and unacceptable behavior.
The MTDAR has also contacted members of the Association of Boxing Commissioners that have licensed Mr. McGregor in their jurisdictions to inform them of Mr. McGregor’s behavior.
McGregor’s actions are a smear on MMA’s image. Realistically, though, the UFC will likely do nothing to address this issue. Yet again thinking of their pockets, the promotion will play any angle to vindicate McGregor.
Protecting an asset is one thing, but UFC president Dana White once cut Jason High for shoving a referee, and he didn’t even watch the footage before firing High. Let’s see how this one plays out.
