Coach of UFC lightweight champ Khabib Nurmagomedov, Javier Mendez, says that while he doesn't approve of his fighter's post-fight brawl at UFC 229, he believes Khabib was just finishing what Conor McGregor's team started.
"What happened after the fight is not something that I condone or expect my fighters to do," explained Mendez when talking about the infamous UFC 229 brawl to Sport 24 journalist Yaroslav Stepanov.
READ MORE: ‘I’d do it again 100 times’ Khabib has zero regrets over infamous UFC 229 cage jump
"But let's face it... You know how Khabib is, you know how much he loves his father. And you call his father a rat, you call his father a terrorist. Then you make fun of his religion, you're offering him a drink at the press conference and you make fun of his country. What did you expect? You can't do that," said the American Kickboxing Academy head coach.
"And I wish he would never do that, and I wish somehow people would stop (other) people from doing those things, because this is a sport, it's a prize fighting, but it's a sport too. It's not real, it's two people in the cage showing who is superior, but outside of the cage it should be all about professionalism."
"But when you do what he did... I mean how can you blame Khabib? Really. All he did was finish what they started. Him jumping out of this cage - that was his way of finishing what they started," he concluded.
Both Nurmagomedov and McGregor have been fined and suspended by the Nevada State Athletic Commission for their respective roles in the brawl, which erupted right after their lightweight title bout in Las Vegas on October 6. The Irishman was fined for $50.000 and received a six-month ban, while the Russian fighter had to pay $500.000 out of his fight purse on top of a nine-month ban.
Also on rt.com 'Harsh': UFC chief Dana White 'surprised' by extent of Khabib fine & suspensionSource : RT Sport News
'McGregor called his dad a terrorist, what did you expect?' Khabib's coach on UFC 229 brawl (VIDEO)
'McGregor called his dad a terrorist, what did you expect?' Khabib's coach on UFC 229 brawl (VIDEO)
