While sports betting fans may just want to focus on the fighting it seems the two biggest loudmouths in the UFC are in hot water after their little fiasco at a recent UFC 202 press conference. It’s common knowledge by now that Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz couldn’t contain their anticipation and engaged in a water bottle throwing contest with each other at the press conference. It certainly made for some great entertainment but it seems the UFC, and more specifically the Nevada State Athletic Commission, are not happy about the way the two fighters behaved themselves.
“They’re both getting punished,” Dana White, president of the UFC, stated to TMZ. “What everybody’s got to understand is we’re overseen by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. I guarantee both of these guys are gonna get massive fines and there’s probably going to be a hearing after the fight.”
While their tussle certainly adds some spice to the world of sports betting, it is still inappropriate. Engaging in explicit-filled trash talk is one thing, but ones objects become airborne someone is bound to get hurt. Sure, it’s very unlikely that a plastic water bottle would do some damage but the aluminum Monster Energy drinks certainly can. Especially considering that since Monster began to sponsor the UFC not a single fighter has opened that can of liquid sugar. An unopened can tossed by a UFC fighter can certainly do some damage. You definitely don’t want to see a bystander get wacked, but those who bet on sports would hate to see a fighter injured even more.
“I didn’t want to get hit with something,” Glover Teixeira, another UFC fighter who was at the press conference, said after the event. “and not be able to fight.”
That certainly could’ve been a reality had security guards, and Dana White, not stepped in and put an end to the juvenile behavior. White is adamant about fighting back against this type of conduct in order to maintain the UFC in a positive light within the media. When you’re sport involves two people locking themselves into a cage and beating the pulp out of each other you’ve got to make a serious effort to not produce a barbaric image within the press.
“I guarantee you there will be a hearing for both of their licenses,” White said of the future consequences facing both Diaz and McGregor. “This isn’t a joke when stuff like this happens. It’s serious.”
After both fighters went their separate ways Diaz commented on his stake in the matter by saying that he “wants to behave and act right. But I have to stay true to myself.” When you’re the bad boy of the UFC you’ve definitely got to live up to that persona. McGregor’s response to the matter was less flattering simply stating that he was acting out of self-defense and genuine fear of his life.
Other news across the wire within the UFC involves the test results of Jon Jones. Jones was recently pulled off a fight card for testing positive for estrogen blockers. Recently the USADA ruled that Jones had taken a banned substance unknowingly, accidentally ingesting it after consuming some other form of medication that didn’t have the banned substance listed. That medication turned out to be Cialis, and not the name brand Jones elected to consume the generic type. Perhaps someone should throw together a sports betting line to see if Dana White can juggle juvenile behavior and his fighter’s erectile dysfunction at the same time.
