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Looking Back at the UFC 223 Media Day Incident
UFC 223 took place in April 2018 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, and the week leading up to it became one of the most talked-about stretches in mixed martial arts history. During fight week, Conor McGregor and a group of associates showed up at the arena's loading dock area, where fighters were travelling on a bus after a media event. A hand truck was thrown at the bus window, glass shattered and several fighters were affected. Some of them ended up being pulled from their scheduled bouts. McGregor later faced legal proceedings in New York over the incident.
The episode grew out of tension with Khabib Nurmagomedov, who headlined UFC 223. The card itself was reshuffled repeatedly because of injuries and withdrawals, and Khabib ultimately won the vacant lightweight title that night. The bad blood carried straight into their eventual meeting at UFC 229 in Las Vegas later that year, which drew enormous attention well beyond the usual fight audience.
Why Fight Week Feels Like Rock and Roll
For a lot of rock fans, big combat sports events share the same energy as a major tour stop: walkout music, packed arenas, pyrotechnics and crowds who know every beat of the soundtrack. Fighters have long picked hard rock and metal anthems to carry them to the cage. The atmosphere is part theatre and part sport. That overlap is one reason fight nights pull such a crowd at sports bars and watch parties around Tulsa.
The UFC 223 story is also a reminder that hype has limits. Promotion sells tickets, but when it spills into real violence it puts athletes, staff and fans at risk. Most fans agree the best rivalries are settled inside the cage, not in a parking garage.
If you would rather spend your weekend in a crowd that is loud for the right reasons, check our concert calendar for upcoming rock shows. You can also browse local venues to plan your next night out.