Nevada Gets Tough Even by UFC Standards

CHICAGOLAWBULLETIN.COM TUESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2018

Volume 164, No. 202 Serving Chicago’s legal community for 163 years Nevada gets tough even by UFC standards

he Ultimate Fighting McGregor’s guaranteed $3 million as a result of the hype were likely Championship 229 in purse, on the other hand, was paid. unaware that the fight was part of Las Vegas earlier this How is the commission able to TIME-OUT a serious, ongoing feud between month was worth essentially garnish Nurmagome - Nurmagomedov and McGregor every penny for pay- dov’s paycheck? and their entourages. According pTer-view spectators. A brawl that The commission has the legal to Nurmagomedov, his actions ensued immediately after the main authority to order the Ultimate AMY N. after the victory were fueled by a event may unfortunately cost Fighting Championship 229 to history of harassment from Mc - lightweight title fight champion, withhold Nurmagomedov’s purse SCHILLER Gregor and Danis. Khabib Nurmagomedov, a pretty under Nevada state law, including Nurmagomedov explained that penny under Nevada state law. Nevada revised statutes Chapter he regards his sport as “respect - In the Mixed Martial Arts light - 467 and Nevada Administrative Amy N. Schiller is an attorney at ful” and “not a trash-talking weight title fight, Nurmagomedov, Code Chapter 467. The commis - Schiller, DuCanto & Fleck LLP where sport,” but that McGregor has re - of Dagestan, Russia, vs. Conor sion administers and enforces Ne - she practices family law with a strong peatedly insulted his country, his McGregor, of Dublin, Ireland, fin - vada state laws and regulations focus on property issues and the religion and his family, including ished in the fourth round when governing unarmed combat and complex financial and custody matters his father. Reportedly, during the facing professional athletes and Nurmagomedov put Conor in an also rules in disciplinary cases. entertainers. She can be reached at fight, Danis was hurling insults unescapable choke hold, forcing State statute 467.135 provides [email protected]. and Muslim slurs directed at Nur - him to tap out. that the commission may order magomedov, which is obviously The excitement over McGre - the promoter (in this case the Ul - denied by Danis. gor’s submission to Nurmagome - timate Fighting Championship including, but not limited to, any Most notably, in April 2018, on dov was quickly overshadowed 229) to withhold any part of a foul or unsportsmanlike conduct media day before UFC 223, Mc - when Nurmagomedov chucked purse of any contestant (in this in connection with a contest. Gregor traveled to the Barclays his mouthpiece, climbed the cage case Nurmagomedov) if, in the As another example, pursuant Center in New York and attacked and soared into the crowd direct - judgment of the commission, the to administative code 467.886, a a bus full of UFC fighters, includ - ly toward McGregor’s teammate, contestant violates any regula - person licensed by the commis - ing Nurmagomedov. McGregor’s Dillon Danis, an American Mixed tions or provisions of Chapter 467 sion can be penalized for engag - actions included throwing a metal Martial Arts fighter and Brazilian or Nevada Administrative Code ing in any activity that will bring handcart through the window of jiujitsu black belt. Chapter 467. disrepute to unarmed combat. the bus, shattering glass and in - The chaos that ensued from Upon the withholding of any Similarly, under administrative juring people, including a fighter there was labeled by Mike Tyson part of a purse, the commission code 467.885, a fighter can be dis - whose injuries prevented him as “crazier than my fight riot” — must immediately schedule a ciplined for merely engaging in from fighting at UFC 223. referring to when Tyson bit off hearing on the matter, give notice conduct at any time or place McGregor was arrested and part Evander Holyfield’s ear in to the parties and dispose of the which is deemed by the commis - charged criminally for the attack 1997. matter as promptly as possible. sion to reflect discredit to un - and pleaded guilty to misde - Amid the commotion, the tradi - According to administrative armed combat or if that person meanor disorderly conduct. tional post-fight awarding of the code 467.147, Nurmagomedov will engaged or has engaged in any ac - The UFC did not reprimand title belt was canceled and securi - not be entitled to receive his tivity or practice that is detrimen - McGregor, and because McGre - ty escorted both fighters away money until the commission de - tal to the best interests of gor was not licensed in New York, from the arena. termines that no penalty will be Nevada, the commission or un - the New York State Athletic Com - In the aftermath of UFC 229, issued pursuant to statute 467.158 armed combat. mission did not penalize him ei - the Nevada State Athletic Com - because under statute 467.158, the The commission is clearly ther. In 2015, McGregor jumped mission declared that they would commission has the broad author - using its wide discretion against out of the cage at UFC Fight conduct an investigation and that ity to prescribe a penalty of up to Nurmagomedov for the incident Night 59 in Boston and charged they planned to file complaints 100 percent of a fighter’s purse as at UFC 229. Ironically, the com - into the crowd at another fighter, against both Nurmagomedov and the result of a disciplinary action. mission failed to use its wide dis - Jose Aldo. McGregor for the incident. In addition to discretionary fi - cretion against McGregor both In a clear trend, both the UFC The commission regulates all nancial consequences, the com - before and after the fight. and the commission ignored Mc - contests or exhibitions of un - mission has the authority to It is questionable whether the Gregor’s past conduct and permit - armed combat, including the li - suspend or revoke a contestant’s commission should have even ted him to fight at UFC 229. It censure and supervision of Nevada license or otherwise disci - granted McGregor the license to doesn’t seem fair that the UFC is promoters and mixed martial pline them. fight at UFC 229 in the first place now chastising Nurmagomedov artists, within Nevada. Nurmagomedov has a high risk based upon McGregor’s histori - and the commission is now throw - Reportedly, both Nurmagome - of the aforementioned penalties cally bad behavior. In granting the ing the book at Khabib for his hard - dov and McGregor have been tem - based upon the broad language of required license, the commission ly unique cage jumping conduct. porarily suspended in Nevada, Nevada’s applicable laws and reg - is surely permitted to consider Although we can’t knock out pending the investigation. In a ulations surrounding disciplinary “conduct at any time or place the idea that this is merely the re - more controversial move, the com - actions. For example, pursuant to which is deemed by the commis - sult of general discretion, people mission is withholding Nur - statute 467.110, a fighter can be sion to reflect discredit to un - are certainly speculating that it is magomedov’s $2 million purse, found guilty of an act or conduct armed combat.” (See instead a result of bias against which is the sum guaranteed to that is detrimental to a contest or administrative code 467.885). Nurmagomedov for his cultural him for fighting at UFC 229. exhibition of unarmed combat, Those just tuning into the fight identity.