Footage of Conor McGregor's Altercation with a Fan That Got Him Arrested Has Been Released
Last month, Conor McGregor was arrested for taking a fan’s phone outside of a Miami hotel and smashing it on the ground.
The mixed martial artist was charged with strong-armed robbery and criminal mischief, and now video evidence has emerged showing exactly what happened.
The footage was released on Wednesday after prosecutors in Miami announced they had formally charged McGregor.
In the video, McGregor is walking around outside the Fontainebleau Miami Beach hotel and numerous fans have their phones out taking pictures and video of him.
He then shakes hands with Ahmed Abdirzak before McGregor quickly slaps the phone out of Abdirzak’s hand.
McGregor then repeatedly stomps on the phone while security holds back Abdirzak from getting his phone. McGregor then picks up the phone and walks off with it while the camera loses view of him for about 20 seconds.
According to the lawsuit, McGregor “slipped [the phone] into his pocket before strutting to a waiting SUV.”
The video footage seems to back up Abdirzak’s initial claims that he made to TMZ Sports in March about the encounter.
“As soon as he came to shake my hand,” Abdirzak said, “he pulled me in and he grabbed my phone and he started smashing it, and all his security guards literally surrounded me, pushed me out the way, and he’s stomping on it. … He was just like, ‘Get the f— out my face. Move.’ And then I was like, ‘Yo, sir, can I have my phone back?’
“There was security in his entourage around him and I asked them, ‘Yo, can I get my phone back, please?’ And it was like, ‘Yo, move, man. You better listen to what Conor says.’ … McGregor picked the phone up, put it in his pocket, laughed, and then he got in his (vehicle) and they drove off, literally. That’s when the hotel manager come to me and said, ‘Listen, I’ll sort this out. Don’t worry.’”
In addition to the criminal charges, for which McGregor has pleaded not guilty, Abdirzak also filed a civil lawsuit against McGregor and was seeking more than $15,000.
Abdirzak later dropped the civil suit after reaching an out-of-court settlement with McGregor.
Roughly two weeks after this incident, McGregor shocked the sports world by announcing his retirement from mixed martial arts.
His retirement came on the same day news broke that he was under investigation for a sexual assault in his home country of Ireland.
McGregor’s last UFC bout came in October, when he lost to Khabib Nurmagomedov. Afterward, there was a brawl that resulted in a six-month suspension and $50,000 fine for McGregor.
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