Conor McGregor Posts Bail, June Hearing Set, New UFC 223 Main Event Confirmed
- Conor McGregor is free to return to Ireland, as the former UFC champion posted $50,000 bail Friday after being charged with three counts of assault and one count of criminal mischief for his role in Thursday's incident at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. McGregor will need to return to the U.S. on JUne 14 for another hearing.
McGregor and several members of his SBG Ireland team stormed the arena after media days, causing damage to a vehicle and injuring several fighters. Michael Chiesa and Ray Borg were both forced off the card after being hit with glass from the broken window.
According to MMA Fighting, Bellator fighter Dillon Danis posted the bail for both McGregor and Cian Cowley, who have orders of protection against them in favor of Chiesa, Ozzy Arias, Borg and Ricardo Chico.
- Al Iaquinta now has the opportunity of a lifetime, as the Long Island native will meet Khabib Nurmagomedov in the main event of UFC 223 Saturday night after Max Holloway was removed by New York State Athletic Commission officials. Iaquinta, though, is ineligible to win the lightweight title after weighing in at 155.2 pounds, while Nurmagomedov is eligible to claim the title.
Here is a statement from the UFC, along with the current fight card for Saturday night from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn:
Undefeated UFC lightweight Khabib Nurmagomedov, will now face New York's own Al Iaquinta for the official lightweight title. The bout will take place this Saturday at UFC 223: Khabib vs Iaquinta at Barclays Center.
The change in the main event occurred when featherweight champion, Max Holloway, was deemed unfit to fight.
Due to Iaquinta not making the 155-pound championship limit, the UFC lightweight title will only be eligible to be won by Nurmagomedov. Should Iaquinta win, he will not be awarded the title, but if Nurmagomedov wins, he will be crowned the undisputed champion.
Iaquinta is riding a five-fight win streak with notable victories over Jorge Masvidal, Kevin Lee and Diego Sanchez. On Saturday, he gets the biggest fight of his life in his home state against the most feared lightweight on the planet.
Due to a change in the main event, customers may receive a full ticket refund at the original point of purchase.
MAIN CARD (PPV/10 p.m. ET)
UFC Lightweight Championship
Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Al Iaquinta
UFC Strawweight Championship
Rose Namajunas (c) vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk
* Featherweight: Renato Moicano vs. Calvin Kattar
* Featherweight: Zabit Magomedsharipov vs. Kyle Bochniak
* Lightweight: Joe Lauzon vs. Chris Guretzemacher
PRELIMINARY CARD (FOX Sports 1/8 p.m. ET)
* Strawweight: Karolina Kowalkiewicz vs. Felice Herrig
* Lightweight: Evan Dunham vs. Olivier Aubin-Mercier
* Female Flyweight: Ashlee Evans-Smith vs. Bec Rawlings
* Light Heavyweight: Devin Clark vs. Mike Rodriguez