MMA fighter Conor McGregor was led out of a New York police lock-up in handcuffs yesterday, bundled into a dark sedan and taken to court.
At the Brooklyn's Kings County Criminal Court he was charged with three counts of assault and one count of criminal mischief relating to his attackon a UFC 223 fighter bus the previous day.
Police booking records at New York's 78th precinct listed him at 155lb [70kg] — the exact weigh-in limit for the UFC lightweight division whose belt McGregor has vacated by failing to fight for 18 months.
The winner of today's UFC 223 main event at Barclays Centre was set to take the belt, but that bout was scratched when one contender failed to make weigh-in, and three preliminary fights were cancelled over the fall-out from McGregor's rampage during the media day.
Police said 25-year-old Cian Cowley, McGregor's friend and fellow MMA fighter from Dublin, was also charged with assault.
McGregor is not an American citizen and thus could be denied future entry into the country if convicted.
The incident, which led to injuries and the cancellation of several fights, unfolded as the UFC held a press conference at Barclays Centre in Brooklyn.
McGregor and his entourage entered through a side entrance and attacked a van containing a group of other fighters.
Lightweight Khabib Nurmagomedov was in the van and may have been the target of McGregor's rage. The 29-year-old Russian recently had a public confrontation with Artem Lobov, a friend and training partner of McGregor's who was scratched from his fight at UFC 223 because of his involvement in the incident.
Conor McGregor was charged with three counts of assault and one count of criminal mischief. Photo / AP
Footage from the fracas shows McGregor approaching the bus as it inches towards the truck elevators to exit the building. At one point he can be seen running for a dolly before picking it up and throwing it at the moving vehicle, breaking a window through which passengers can be seen.
"Approximately 20 guys were apparently let in through the doors by the Mac Life guys, who were credentialled here," UFC president Dana White said, referencing McGregor's brand and its employees who allegedly helped the Dublin native and his crew.
"They opened the doors for them, through an entrance, they stormed the building, got down to the loading docks where the fighters were getting on the buses and started to attack the buses, throwing trash cans and dollies and things like that," White said. "Broke one of the windows and cut Michael Chiesa real bad. He cut his head and cut his face.
"[UFC fighter] Rose Namajunas was apparently almost hit. She's super upset right now ... Hurt one of our employees, broke one of our employee's knuckles."
Footage shows McGregor attempting to hurl a guard rail through the window of the van full of fighters before being prevented by security. He can then be seen trying to do the same with a trash can before being thwarted once again.
The confrontation led to several injuries and the cancellation of three scheduled bouts.
