“The Notorious” Conor McGregor has brought the ruckus yet again to the Barclays Center. This time it was during the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards.
According to reports, McGregor was walking the red carpet Sunday night at the Brooklyn, New York, venue and sought a photograph with artist Machine Gun Kelly. However, MGK wasn’t feeling McGregor and denied his request.
Machine Gun Kelly and Conor McGregor just went at it at the VMA’s. pic.twitter.com/jKVnWO2nzv
— MMA History Today (@MMAHistoryToday) September 13, 2021
That set off a cavalcade of drama on the carpet that had “N-O-T-O-R-I-O-U-S” written all over it.
Red Carpet Beef
TMZ reports that “MGK” set it off, pushing McGregor, causing his drink to spill. In addition, McGregor’s walking cane was knocked over. The former champion has used the cane during his recovery from the leg break sustained in his loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July.
McGregor then attempted to throw his drink at “MGK” while also approaching him. Images showed McGregor reaching through the crowd to try to get MGK. Video also showed McGregor hurling a drink at a group on the carpet.
The two men ultimately were separated before it could get physical, and a potential issue didn’t get serious.
Conor McGregor explains what happened between him and Machine Gun Kelly at the MTV #VMAs 👀
“I don’t even know the guy! Don’t know anything about him, except that he’s with Megan Fox.” pic.twitter.com/LIqz2JUmdK
— Hip Hop Ties (@HipHopTiesMedia) September 13, 2021
Later, McGregor spoke to “Entertainment Tonight” to express his opinion on the situation.
“Absolutely nothing (happened),” McGregor said. “I just showed up and I don’t even know the guy, to be honest with you. Just rumors. Nothing happened with me.
“I only fight real fighters. People that actually fight. I certainly don’t fight little Vanilla Ice white rappers. I don’t know anything about him, except that he’s with Megan Fox.”
According to TMZ Conor McGregor and Machine Gun Kelly got into an altercation after Conor asked MGK for a pic, but he declined.👀😳
MGK then pushed Conor which led to him spilling his drink. Conor then threw his drink at MGK and Megan Fox. #VMAs pic.twitter.com/3uMw3EDRmq
— Hip Hop Ties (@HipHopTiesMedia) September 13, 2021
McGregor’s team submitted a statement to MMA Junkie to clarify McGregor’s position.
“Conor McGregor did not ask anyone for a picture, nor did he instigate this incident,” the statement read. “He does not know Machine Gun Kelly, outside of the fact that he attended Conor’s fight this past July.”
History of Negativity at the Barclays
McGregor has had a history of nasty altercations inside the Barclays Center. In April 2018, the NYPD charged McGregor with multiple counts of assault and one count of criminal mischief after an incident he caused in the Barclays Center.
McGregor hurled a dolly through a bus window, which left several fighters injured, including UFC contenders Michael Chiesa and Ray Borg, causing them to withdraw from their respective UFC 223 fights due to injuries suffered from the broken glass.
The incident left multiple fighters and also UFC personnel injured after the senseless attack in the arena’s bowels. McGregor would end up in police custody.
The former multi-weight class UFC world champion eventually took a plea deal at a Kings County courthouse hearing. Per the terms, McGregor (21-3) had to plead guilty to one count of disorderly conduct. He had to undergo five days of community service, one to three days of an anger management evaluation, and paid restitution for the damage he inflicted on a UFC fighter bus during UFC 223 fight week.
Three protection orders were served against McGregor, including ones from Borg and Chiesa.
McGregor has constantly broken the UFC Code of Conduct rules but has never been reprimanded. However, the more nefarious the incidents McGregor is involved in the bigger his celebrity grows.
