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Khabib Nurmagomedov submitted Conor McGregor with a neck crank at UFC 229.
Following the hard-fought win, the Dagestani star promptly jumped the fence to attack McGregor's teammate Dillon Danis. A brawl ensued between the two fight camps and subsequently, Nurmagomedov was given a nine-month suspension along with a $500,000 fine.
When asked about the harrowing incident during a recent press junket, Khabib Nurmagomedov said that he wouldn't change a thing about what happened on October 6, 2018, at the T-Mobile Arena.
The retired lightweight claims that if there was no referee, the night would've ended very badly for Conor McGregor.
"You saw what happened on October 6th. Remove Herb Dean and you will understand what would've happened. A person can die from a grip like that. If you want to, I can choke you behind the curtain and you'll see what would've happened," said Khabib Nurmagomedov.
A prolific grappler, Khabib Nurmagomedov was known for smothering his opponents on the ground.
The Sambo practitioner has 11 wins via submissions to his name, which he believes is enough proof that Conor McGregor wouldn't have left the octagon on his feet at UFC 229 had referee Herb Dean not stepped in to save the Irishman.
"When a person strangles you and has been doing this for 30 years, this is a cold weapon. If there had been no referee, what would've happened? Herb Dean removed my hand, he removed my grip. We understand everything. We understand what could have been," added Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Watch Khabib Nurmagomedov's comments at a recent press conference below:
Khabib Nurmagomedov etched his name in the history books with UFC 229 fiasco
Prior to UFC 229, Khabib Nurmagomedov was the reigning UFC lightweight champion. The Russian fighter, however, did not have the support of the masses behind him then.
It was only after Conor McGregor incited a rivalry with the 'The Eagle' that he came under the spotlight. Unintentionally, Nurmagomedov benefitted vastly from Conor McGregor's brash promotion.
He did not bite at the Irishman's antics and stayed calm throughout the buildup to UFC 229. Naturally, he emerged as the epitome of chivalry against the loud-mouthed, brazen McGregor.
Losing his temperament, however, over Dillon Danis' behavior was certainly not exemplary.
But watching the 32-year-old react instinctively to provocations from his rivals only piqued more interest from fight fans. He saw a massive surge in his followers globally overnight and became one of the most recognized fighters in the world.
