Conor McGregor jumped the cage and got physical with referee Marc Goddard…
Bellator 187 is taking place in Dublin, Ireland today and Conor McGregor is out in full force for the event. Conor’s teammate, Charlie Ward, finished John Redmond in the closing minutes of the 1st round causing Conor to become a little excited.
The UFC lightweight champion jumped the cage and was instructed to leave by referee Marc Goddard. At last month’s UFC Gdansk event, Goddard was the referee for Artem Lobov’s bout. Conor and Goddard were involved in a mild verbal altercation that night after Goddard reprimanded Conor for running around cageside.
Goddard gave the following statement on his actions in Gdansk:
“The reason I interjected is because Artem gets a fourth cornerman cage side giving instruction,” Goddard told MMA Fighting. “That’s not allowed. Imagine had Conor talked him through a fight-ending sequence. Then what?”
Now it seems Conor has once again earned admonishment from the same referee, this time at today’s Bellator 187 event.
Goddard On Earlier Altercation With Conor McGregor
Goddard offered further explanation for his disciplinary measures towards Conor from last month’s event:
“Conor was basically acting like a fourth cornerman,” Goddard said. “Walking around the cage side wherever and whenever he wanted. When Fili took down Artem, Conor was right there. That’s simply not fair and not allowed. I won’t have it. He can’t do as he pleases.”
If Conor had stood up, stayed at his seat, then he could have shouted till his hearts content,” Goddard said. “That’s what he’s supposed to do. But what he simply cannot do, what he is not allowed to do, is approach the cage at any point and as I say act as the fourth corner. That’s unfair and unjust. Anyone who knows me will tell you I’ve done this forever, in any country in any situation. My integrity is not wavered and neither is the rules. We can’t allow that. I simply had to act.”
It seems Goddard was not pleased with Conor’s actions today as well, even though the fight was over by the time Conor entered the cage.
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Andre Fili on McGregor’s Actions at UFC Gdansk
Artem Lobov’s opponent last month, Andre Fili, had this to say regarding Conor’s actions during the bout:
“I was aware of him, obviously. While Artem was walking out I saw him,” Fili told reporters. “We had our little pissing contest, our little staredown. I (expletive) started, he was talking (expletive), he was talking (expletive). We were kind of doing our thing. But I liked that. I thought it was cool. I think the fans thought it was cool.
“I think part of this sport is showmanship. Also, if it has to do with McGregor, people are going to be excited. I thrive off that (expletive). I (expletive) love confrontation. So him being there and him sort of – actually, it was cool.”
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Conor McGregor vs. Mark Goddard
Conor did not listen to Goddard’s instructions to leave the cage area following Ward’s victory and took offense to the referee’s actions. It is being said Conor was eventually escorted out of the cage.
