5 Most controversial UFC moments of the decade (2010-2019)

#1 Conor McGregor’s bus attack

Conor McGregor was arrested by the NYPD after his shocking attack on a UFC bus

Six months before the wild brawl at UFC 229, the feud between Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov reached a crescendo with what was truly the most controversial – and one of the most shameful – moments of the decade for the UFC. Nurmagomedov was all set to fight Max Holloway – who was eventually replaced by Al Iaquinta – for the vacant UFC Lightweight title at UFC 223 in Brooklyn, New York.

Prior to the event though, ‘The Eagle’ and some of his teammates decided to confront Artem Lobov – a training partner of McGregor’s who was also booked on the card – about some comments he’d made regarding a potential Khabib/McGregor fight. At worst it was slightly threatening, and to say the reaction from ‘The Notorious One’ and his team was too severe would be an understatement.

McGregor and a number of teammates immediately flew out to Brooklyn, and following a press conference, they showed up at the Barclays Arena and launched a shocking attack on a bus that was carrying Nurmagomedov, two of his teammates – and numerous other UFC fighters who were scheduled on the card.

The incident was so stunning that Al Iaquinta, who was on the bus, compared it to a terrorist attack. The assault came to a head when McGregor launched a metal dolly at the bus, smashing one of its windows. Eventually the Irishman and his crew made an exit, and would eventually turn themselves into the New York Police Department.

The ramifications of the incident were huge; Lobov was immediately removed from the card for his part in the incident, while both Michael Chiesa and Ray Borg were also pulled out of their respective fights due to injuries sustained in the attack related to the broken window.

As for McGregor, he was charged with three counts of assault and one count of criminal mischief – eventually pleading a no contest before being sentenced to five days of community service. No feud in the UFC prior to this one had ever led to an outright criminal act like this one – and that’s why this incident was easily the most controversial of the decade.