October 7th 2024.
Last week, former UFC champion Conor McGregor caused quite a stir at the Emirates stadium during Arsenal's 2-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League. The Irish fighter was in attendance as a VIP guest, thanks to a corporate package secured through third party company 1Access.
After the game, McGregor made his way onto the pitch where he had a playful kickabout with Arsenal player Bukayo Saka and West Ham midfielder Declan Rice. McGregor even posed for photos with Saka before playfully sparring with him, attempting to take him down in a joking manner.
However, it seems that McGregor's antics have caused some concern within the Arsenal club. Reports suggest that he did not have permission to enter the pitch and that the club is launching an internal investigation into the matter. McGregor's presence on the pitch and his playful punches and kicks, while harmless, have caused a "high level of concern" within the club.
In fact, Arsenal are now considering banning their players from interacting with corporate guests at the Emirates, as they want to prevent any similar incidents from occurring in the future. Manager Mikel Arteta is reportedly worried about the potential risks of players mingling with celebrities after games.
The club also wants to distance themselves from the McGregor brand, given the fighter's history of controversies. In 2019, he was convicted of assault for punching a man in a Dublin pub. And just last year, he caused a stir by flattening a Miami Heat mascot during a half-time segment. While McGregor claimed it was planned, the mascot had to be taken to the hospital after being struck twice.
Despite all the drama, McGregor has not fought in the Octagon since July 2021, when he suffered a broken leg in his trilogy fight against Dustin Poirier. His proposed return against Michael Chandler has been delayed multiple times this year, and he is not expected to fight until next year at the earliest.
It seems that McGregor's presence at the Emirates has caused quite a stir and has led to some changes being considered within the club. We will have to wait and see how this situation unfolds.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
