Conor McGregor 'k'oed' a fan favorite NBA mascot, sending him sprawling on the floor.
The UFC legend decided to pop himself over to visit the Miami Heat v Denver Nuggets game on Friday (9 June), but nobody was prepared for what was to come.
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While the cameras rolled and audiences cheered during a mid-game bit, McGregor was set to promote his latest pain relief spray, TIDL Sport.
As part as a promotional gimmick, he was taken on to the court where Burnie, the Miami Heat mascot, appeared wearing golden gloves.
Standing in front of the crowds during the short pause in Game 4, fans were heard loudly booing the mixed martial artist, but he powered through his speech, nonetheless.
Now, this is where it took a turn.
What was supposed to be a bit of light-hearted promo fun, soon turned into something a bit more serious for the mascot.
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When Burnie approached McGregor, there was little to no hesitation before he was swiftly thrown a left hook to the head which left him sprawled out on the court.
But it was clear that the fighter wasn’t finished and gave Burnie second punch to the face before spraying him with is own pain relief spray.
Burnie was soon dragged away by members of the Heat in-game entertainment crew who fanned his face with a white towel.
Although it appeared to be a somewhat rehearsed affair, it seems as though it was taken a bit too far as the person inside the Burnie suit was soon taken to hospital.
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According to The Athletic, a league source, who was briefed on the event, confirmed that the man was taken to the emergency room at a nearby hospital to receive treatment.
After being given pain medication by an attending doctor, he was sent home to rest and is said to be 'doing well'.
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As McGregor is set to return to the Octagon to face Michael Chandler later in the year, maybe he was getting in some fighting practice following his absence from the sport due to the breaking of his leg against Dustin Poirier in 2021.
In the aftermath of the mascot punch and without their lucky charm, the Miami Heat team lost Game 4 of the NBA Finals to the Denver Nuggets.
As the video inevitably made the rounds on social media, UFC President, Dana White even weighed in his thoughts into the incident.
Apparently, the mascots are to blame.
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When White was asked about the KO to Burnie while at UFC 289, he said: “What’s up with mascots getting punched in the face by professional fighters? What do you expect?
"What are those mascot things made out of, unless you’re like the Golden Knights mascot… with a metal helmet, I wouldn’t have professional fighters punch me in the face if I was a mascot, doesn’t seem like the brightest thing in the world.”
So, who’s really to blame? The fighter or the choreography?
Topics: Conor McGregor, Sport, US News