Conor McGregor’s coach disputes Joe Rogan’s account of how UFC 229 melee started

Khabib Nurmagomedov jumped out of the cage to attack Dillon Danis but Conor McGregor's coach John Kavanagh, who was stood next to him, says Dillon wasn't trash talking

Everyone knows the story by now. Khabib Nurmagomedov taps Conor McGregor by neck crank in the fourth round of the biggest fight in UFC history. Khabib reluctantly lets go after Herb Dean signals the end of the fight. Khabib jumps the cage fence and attempts a two-footed flying drop kick on McGregor's training partner and jiu jitsu coach Dillon Danis. https://twitter.com/btsportufc/status/1048801812260835328 And if you don't know, now you know.

Dillon Danis 'insulting Khabib Nurmagomedov'

Veteran UFC commentator Joe Rogan, who sits cage-side in between the two sets of cornermen, said in the aftermath that Dillon Danis was trash talking Khabib, prompting the undefeated Dagestani to hurl his gum shield at the fence and charge out the ring. "We couldn't hear what he said but Dillon absolutely was insulting Khabib and saying something to him and provoking him," Rogan said. https://twitter.com/DarrMurphy/status/1048804090220883968 Which wouldn't be surprising, given the level of abuse Conor generated in the lead up to the fight. Attacking Nurmagomedov's family, religion and country. For instance, calling the Muslim fighter a "mad backwards cunt" for refusing a drink of McGregor's own brand whiskey at a press conference.

Danis didn't say a word, according to John Kavanagh

But John Kavanagh, Conor McGregor's coach, told Rogan that Danis didn't say a word to Khabib. In an interview on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, the trainer who was stood right next to Danis at the time, said he did not hear him say anything in provocation.

"He actually didn't say anything. Now I was standing beside Dylan, I didn't see what he did but I could hear. So he didn't say anything."

Which isn't really what footage of the ensuing brawl shows. However, Kavanagh also said: "Now when I watched it back I've seen he kind of beckoned him on, you know, just stupid end of fight stuff. But I don't think it justified that level of response. "Now maybe, there was something else in the lead up. Dillon is a bit of a troll online, so there's probably a build up of other stuff. Like I said, it wasn't that big of a deal to me, what Khabib did, it just really wasn't." https://youtu.be/ARAT9HQY6e4?t=4833 Following the brawl the Nevada State Athletic Commission is filing complaints against both McGregor and Nurmagomedov, which will likely result in fines and suspensions - the length of which could determine whether Khabib is stripped of the lightweight belt. Dana White said he believes at $250,000 fine of Khabib's $2 million fight purse and a four to six month suspension would be reasonable.