McGregor meets with NSAC to discuss fine reduction
McGregor, along with his attorneys and manager, meets Bennett and Mantell of the Nevada State Athletic Commission in Las Vegas, to ask for a rehearing of punishment order for throwing a water bottle at UFC 202. McGregor has said that the punishment — a $75,000 fine, an anti-bullying public service announcement with a production value of $75,000, and 50 hours of community service — was too stiff. Chairman Bennett says he agrees with McGregor’s position and says the punishment should be reduced to $25,000 fine plus 25 hours of community service. The commission will hear McGregor’s request when it reconvenes on March 22. Once a settlement has been agreed, McGregor can reapply for a boxing license. Bennett:
I think it’s important that the public knows that the chairman, upon speaking with Conor, realized a wrong was done and he’d like to make it right. We don’t always get it right. We’ve made mistakes in the past. The chairman lives by example.
Facing fines, suspensions for water bottle fight
McGregor and Diaz are accused by Nevada State Athletic Commission of behavior “detrimental to a contest or exhibition of unarmed combat” due to their water bottle fight at the UFC Press Conference at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. By comparison, Daniel Cormier and Jon Jones were fined 10 percent of their purses after they got into a brawl in August 2014 in the MGM Grand. Jones paid $50,000 as well as doing community service; Cormier paid $9,000 and had to do community service for his part in the fight. As McGregor and Diaz made far more from their fight the potential penalty is higher. An announcement on the hearing date has not been released.