Khabib Nurmagomedov has opened up about the infamous brawl that erupted after his victory over Conor McGregor at UFC 229, admitting that he was so fueled with adrenaline and anger that he wanted to “bite someone’s heart”. In a recent interview, Khabib reflected on the chaotic scene that unfolded in the octagon, saying: “The Eagle was hungry. I was so hungry, I wanted to bite someone’s heart”. Khabib’s comments come after the UFC 229 bout, which saw him defeat McGregor via submission in the fourth round. The fight was marred by a post-fight brawl that involved several fighters from both teams, with Khabib’s teammate Zubaira Tukhugov and McGregor’s teammate Artem Lobov getting into a physical altercation. Khabib has previously denied being involved in the brawl, but in the recent interview, he acknowledged that he was indeed involved in the chaos, stating: “I was in the heat of the moment, I was so angry”. Despite the controversy surrounding the event, Khabib has maintained that his actions were driven by a desire to protect his team and his family, saying: “I wanted to protect my family, my team, my religion”. Khabib’s comments have sparked a renewed debate about the brawl, with many fans and pundits questioning the severity of the punishment handed down to those involved. The UFC subsequently suspended Khabib for nine months and fined him $500,000, while McGregor was also suspended and fined. The incident marked a turning point in the rivalry between Khabib and McGregor, with the two fighters engaging in a series of personal and verbal spats in the months leading up to the fight. Despite the animosity between them, Khabib has maintained that he has no hard feelings towards McGregor, saying: “I have no bad blood with Conor, I just want to fight”. The comments from Khabib serve as a reminder of the intense emotions and rivalries that can emerge in the world of mixed martial arts, where fighters are often driven by a fierce competitive spirit and a desire to prove themselves as the best.

Khabib Nurmagomedov has revealed he wanted to ‘bite someone’s heart’ during the iconic post-fight brawl at UFC 229 in 2018. 

The Russian star took on Conor McGregor at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, forcing the Notorious to submit in the fourth round. 

However, fans couldn’t believe their eyes when Nurmagomedov leaped over the cage to spark a mass brawl. 

Khabib was looking to confront Dillon Danis, McGregor’s team-mate while a number of the Dagestani’s own entourage leapt into the cage to attack the Irishman.

Reflecting on the brawl, Nurmagomedov told the Inspire Me podcast he wanted to ‘bit someone’s heart’ after previously stating he initiated the brawl because he was so frustrated by how ‘easy’ he found the fight with McGregor. 

‘It was a very emotional time, but at the same time, it was my feeling — I really wanted to bite someone’s heart,’ Nurmagomedov said. ‘Do you have that feeling in your life? I just tried to bite his heart.’

The MMA legend went on to add: ‘Maybe you can feel this. I am The Eagle, and when the eagle is hungry, it’s not good. He has to hunt. That’s why.’ 

There is no doubt the brawl at UFC 229 will go down in history as one of the most notable nights in MMA history.  

However, the tension between Nurmagomedov and McGregor reached its boiling point well before the two ever stepped into the octagon. 

Their feud was deeply personal, having stemmed from a series of events that escalated the hostility between the two camps. 

McGregor’s trash talk, which had always been a psychological tool in his arsenal, was particularly incendiary in this case, as he made comments about Khabib’s family, religion, and homeland. 

One of the most significant preludes to their fight was the infamous bus incident in April 2018. McGregor, along with several members of his team, attacked a bus that Khabib was on during a UFC 223 media event. 

McGregor hurled a dolly at the bus window, shattering glass and injuring other fighters. This act was in retaliation for an earlier confrontation between Khabib and McGregor’s teammate, Artem Lobov. The attack led to McGregor’s arrest, and it set the tone for an extremely hostile environment going into UFC 229. 

The fight itself was highly anticipated, with Khabib entering the bout as the UFC lightweight champion and McGregor looking to reclaim the title he had been stripped of due to inactivity. 

The fight was a showcase of Khabib’s dominant grappling and ground game, with McGregor struggling to fend off the relentless pressure from the undefeated Russian. 

In the fourth round, Khabib secured a submission victory via a rear-naked choke, forcing McGregor to tap out. With the victory, Khabib successfully defended his lightweight title and extended his undefeated record to 27-0. 

However, the drama didn’t end with the fight. Immediately after McGregor tapped out, Khabib stood over him, shouting at the downed fighter before gesturing toward McGregor’s corner, specifically targeting Dillon Danis, one of McGregor’s teammates who had been taunting Khabib during the fight. 

Khabib then did something no one expected—he scaled the cage and leaped into the crowd, charging directly at Danis and igniting a massive brawl outside the octagon. 

Simultaneously, chaos erupted inside the cage as members of Khabib’s team, including Zubaira Tukhugov and Islam Makhachev, entered the octagon and confronted McGregor. 

Punches were thrown, with McGregor being attacked by Khabib’s teammates.

McGregor, still recovering from the fight, defended himself and even managed to land a few punches on one of Khabib’s teammates before security and officials intervened. 

The brawl quickly spread throughout the arena, with security and police scrambling to break up multiple skirmishes. The scene was chaotic and unprecedented in the UFC, overshadowing Khabib’s victory and plunging the event into controversy. 

The aftermath of the brawl led to swift actions from the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) and the UFC. Both Khabib and McGregor were temporarily suspended while an investigation into the incident was conducted.

The NSAC withheld Khabib’s purse pending the outcome of their investigation, while McGregor’s purse was released since he was deemed less culpable in instigating the post-fight violence. 

The NSAC eventually handed out punishments to both fighters. Khabib received a nine-month suspension and a $500,000 fine, while McGregor was given a six-month suspension and a $50,000 fine. 

Members of Khabib’s team who had attacked McGregor inside the cage, including Tukhugov and Makhachev, were also suspended for one year and fined $25,000 each. 

Despite these sanctions, Khabib showed little remorse for his actions. He defended his outburst by pointing to the months of disrespect and personal insults from McGregor and his team leading up to the fight. 

Khabib saw the post-fight brawl as a response to the provocations that had gone too far. In a post-fight press conference, Khabib asked, ‘This is a respectful sport, not a trash-talking sport. I told you guys: This is not a good thing, and I’m going to change this.’ 

Dana White, the UFC president, condemned the brawl but acknowledged the immense pressure and emotions leading into the fight. However, the event sold over 2.4 million pay-per-view buys, making it the most successful event in UFC history at the time.