The UFC is “incredibly” disappointed with lightweight fighter Conor McGregor said Lawrence Epstein, COO of the sporting body.
“We’ve come so far in legitimizing the sport and growing our business,” the exec told Cheddar in an in interview Friday. “[His behavior] is just not representative of who we are.”
McGregor was arrested Thursday for an altercation in Brooklyn where he attacked a bus full of fellow UFC fighters, injuring two of them.
“The first thing that’s got to happen is a criminal investigation,” Epstein said. Once that is over, the UFC will decide what to do internally and the option of kicking the fighter out of the UFC is not off the table, he said.
McGregor is known for his flamboyant and provocative antics. For example, he swiped Floyd Mayweather Jr. with racist and demeaning slurs ahead of their highly anticipated UFC-boxing crossover match last year.
The league, which celebrated its 25th anniversary Friday, hosts UFC 223 Saturday at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Since its inception, it’s [evolved](https://cheddar.com/videos/how-the-ufc-has-changed-over-its-25-year-history) from being a “very spectacle-oriented, niche, U.S.-centric sport to...a truly global brand,” said Epstein.
He added that the body has worked very hard at making it a safe and regulated space with no tolerance for fighters like McGregor.
For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/cheddar-steps-into-the-octagon-with-ufc).
Riot expands its collegiate efforts, Overwatch League hits the road, Fortnite Season 7 drops, and we open a whole lotta Rastakhan's Rumble packs. Featuring Esports Awards Broadcaster of the Year Clint 'Maven' Evans and Logitech G Esports Business Development Head Andreas Schicker.
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know for Friday, Dec. 6, 2018.
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know for Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018.
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know for Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018.
The College Football Playoff hasn't even kicked off, but Under Armour is already a winner. For the first time since the final four-structured championship began in 2014, a non-Nike brand is sponsoring one of the teams that made the playoffs.
DreamHack Winter 2018 recap and ESL Season 8 Finals preview, Ninja's new mouse partnership with Finalmouse, and Panda wins Tekken World Tour finals. We rate the Overwatch Expansions teams' logos and colors and get cozy at a Hearthstone Fireside event for the release of Rastakhan's Rumble. Featuring Andrew Coonrad of Logitech G on the Logitech G Pro Wireless mouse.
The reveal of Esports Mystery, Blizzard's new plan for Hearthstone esports, and a new mystery - Ninja's plans for Smash. Featuring top 40 Fortnite Winter Royale qualifier Lamar, FGC journalist Steve 'AceKingOffsuit' Jurek, and Logitech G's Vincent Borel.
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know for Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018.
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know for Monday, Dec. 3, 2018.
Overwatch League expansion rosters start to settle with rumors of Runaway sighted in Vancouver; LeTigress clues us in on Valve's plans for Artifact esports. Featuring two-time COD world champion JKap and Pokemon national champion and commentator Aaron 'Cybertron' Zheng.
