Manager: Difference between Khabib, Conor’s fines is BS

MMA manager Ali Abdelaziz reacts to the suspensions and fines given to his fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor for the UFC 229 brawl last October.

Ali Abdelaziz is satisfied with the length of the suspensions given to Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor, but when it comes to the fines, he is very disappointed.

The Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC) issued a nine-month suspension and a six-month suspension to Nurmagomedov and McGregor, respectively, at a meeting Tuesday. Nurmagomedov’s suspension can be reduced to six months if he chooses to enroll in an anti-bullying program. NAC also fined Nurmagomedov $500,000, while McGregor only $50,000.

Abdelaziz, Nurmagomedov’s manager, told ESPN’s Ariel Helwani (via Twitter) on Tuesday that the difference between Nurmagomedov and McGregor’s fines is not fair.

“I don’t think it’s fair,” Abdelaziz said. “Khabib gets $500k and Conor gets $50k? I think it’s bullsh-t.”

After October’s UFC 229 main event between Nurmagomedov and McGregor, in which Nurmagomedov tapped McGregor in the fourth round to retain the UFC lightweight title, Nurmagomedov jumped the fence to confront McGregor teammate Dillon Danis. A wild brawl between both teams let loose as a result of that.

The infamous brawl also involved Nurmagomedov’s teammates Zubaira Tukhugov and Abubakar Nurmagomedov, both of which were also suspended and fined Tuesday. The pair of fighters were given one-year suspensions and $25,000 fines for their roles in the brawl.

Abdelaziz, who manages both Tukhugov and Abubakar per his website, said a one-year suspension is too long for both fighters.

“That’s fair. They’ll both get six months,” Abdelaziz said of Khabib and McGregor’s suspensions. “But for his teammates, it’s too much.”

UFC 229 took place Oct. 6 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.