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We're learning more about what led to Conor McGregor's bizarre attack on a bus of fighters at a UFC event

Conor McGregor reportedly wanted to attack the Russian MMA fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov for confronting his friend and teammate Artem Lobov.

  • Conor McGregor and a team of men attacked a bus carrying several UFC fighters after a press event on Thursday, according to the police.
  • McGregor and his team threw loose objects at the bus, shattering the glass and hurting several fighters, the police said.
  • McGregor was apparently acting in retaliation after one of the fighters on the bus, Khabib Nurmagomedov, had confronted UFC fighter and McGregor's friend and teammate Artem Lobov, earlier this week.
  • The police have charged McGregor with three counts of assault over the incident.
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Conor McGregor wreaked havoc after a UFC press conference on Thursday when, according to the police, he and a team of men stormed Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, and attacked a bus carrying several fighters scheduled to compete at this weekend's UFC 223 event.

Video of the incident reportedly showed McGregor and his team engaged in a fracas in the loading dock of Barclays, throwing guard rails, trash cans, hand dollies, and other loose objects at the bus.

McGregor is accused of striking the bus with a hand dolly, shattering glass and causing lacerations to lightweight fighter Michael Chiesa. Flyweight fighter Ray Borg also reportedly suffered eye injuries from the glass. Both fighters have been dropped from their fights this weekend.

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While there was initially considerable confusion about the attack and McGregor's motivation, things have become clearer in the aftermath.

MMA Fighting's Ariel Helwani reported on Thursday that the Russian MMA fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov, who is scheduled to fight this weekend, confronted Artem Lobov, a teammate of McGregor's who was also scheduled for a bout this weekend, earlier this week at a hotel. According to Helwani, there is a long history between the two sides.

Helwani reported that the attack on the bus, which was carrying Nurmagomedov, was in "retaliation" for the confrontation at the hotel.

UFC's president, Dana White, echoed that reporting on Fox Sports 1's "First Things First," saying McGregor flew several people to New York from Ireland when he heard of the incident at the hotel.

"Artem Lobov, who is on the undercard, is a very, very close friend of Conor McGregor," White said. "He got into an altercation with Khabib Nurmagomedov and his team. When Conor found out, he loaded up the plane full of guys from Ireland, flew over here, and coordinated this attack."

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White has been critical of McGregor since the incident, calling it "the most disgusting thing that has ever happened" in UFC history and questioning McGregor's thinking and behavior.

White said that he spoke with McGregor and that McGregor apologized for hurting fighters not involved in the feud but was not sorry for his actions, saying he believed they were necessary.

Lobov was pulled from UFC 223, White said, accusing him of involvement in the incident in coordination with McGregor.

On Friday, the police charged McGregor with three counts of assault over the incident. He was taken into custody in Brooklyn after turning himself in to the police.

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