The Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC) on Wednesday fined Max Holloway, Paddy Pimblett and Gable Steveson for leaping out of the cage in celebration at UFC 329 last month.
Each fighter exited the cage following their individual fights prior to the official decision being announced at UFC 329 on July 11 in Las Vegas.
The three fighters’ purses were temporarily withheld until the commission’s Wednesday meeting in Las Vegas.
Now, each fighter will have a $2,500 fine deducted from his purse.
“Here in Nevada, we’re very clear with the fighters that you do not leave the cage for any reason,” NAC chairman Dallas Haun said. “In the city of Las Vegas, we want our guests to have a good time, but we also want them to be safe.”
Haun pointed to a 2018 incident at UFC 229, when Khabib Nurmagomedov jumped out of the cage toward Conor McGregor’s cornerman Dillon Danis, sparking a brawl that involved people fighting both inside and outside the cage.
“We had close to 10 minutes of complete chaos,” Haun said, noting that police holding cells at T-Mobile Arena were filled with people after the incident.
“So these three, they’re jumping the cage to shake [Dana White’s] hand, and we appreciate the difference. Someone from the crowd behind Dana screaming something could change that in an instant.”
Commissioner Anthony Marnell agreed.
“I get the celebration, I get the emotion that goes on between all these guys, including Dana, and his energy and positive energy for everything that’s going on. But it just can’t happen anymore.”
–Field Level Media
