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Eight years later, as \u2018The Notorious\u2019 prepares for his long-awaited UFC comeback against Max Holloway at UFC 329<\/a>, the infamous bus attack remains one of the most controversial moments in MMA history.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s how at happened<\/p>\n THE RIVALRY<\/p>\n By early 2018, tensions between McGregor and Nurmagomedov had been simmering for a couple of years.<\/p>\n While McGregor — who had become the UFC\u2019s first two division champ — had spent much of 2017 pursuing his blockbuster boxing bout with Floyd Mayweather, Nurmagomedov had quietly emerged as the UFC\u2019s best lightweight.<\/p>\n Following his submission win over Michael Johnson at UFC 205 in New York, the undefeated Russian called out the Irish superstar.<\/p>\n \u201cYour guy, beginning of the year, he tapped like a chicken. End of the year, he fights for the title. Crazy,\u201d Nurmagomedov told the Madison Square Garden crowd.<\/p>\n \u201cIrish only six million. Russian, 150 million. I want to fight with your chicken.\u201d<\/p>\n The pair also had a brief but heated backstage confrontation that same night, with McGregor later dismissing \u2018The Eagle\u2019 as \u201ca pull-out merchant\u201d over his history of injuries and cancelled fights.<\/p>\n But the rivalry truly exploded during UFC 223 fight week in April 2018.<\/p>\n UFC superstar Conor McGregor’s bus attackSource: FOX SPORTS<\/p>\n Just days before the event, Nurmagomedov confronted McGregor\u2019s good mate and training partner Artem Lobov at the fighter hotel in New York.<\/p>\n Lobov had recently labelled the Russian a \u201ccoward\u201d in an interview, accusing him of repeatedly withdrawing from fights.<\/p>\n \u201cWho is the chicken here? Who is afraid?\u201d Lobov had told media.<\/p>\n \u201cConor shows up every time no matter what. He\u2019s a true fighter. He\u2019s a true champion.\u201d<\/p>\n When the pair crossed paths during fight week, footage emerged of Nurmagomedov confronting Lobov before appearing to slap him in front of onlookers.<\/p>\n Within hours, the video had gone viral.<\/p>\n Less than 48 hours later, McGregor had seen the incident and was on a private jet bound for New York.<\/p>\n THE INCIDENT<\/p>\n McGregor and several members of his entourage headed straight for Brooklyn\u2019s Barclays Center, where fighters had just finished media obligations ahead of UFC 223.<\/p>\n As athletes boarded buses in the loading dock beneath the arena, McGregor and his group charged towards the vehicles, pounding on the windows and demanding Nurmagomedov \u201cget off the bus\u201d.<\/p>\n Moments later, McGregor grabbed a metal equipment dolly and launched it at one of the buses, smashing a window and sending glass flying as fighters scrambled for cover.<\/p>\n THE UFC has released video footage of Conor McGregor\u2019s Brooklyn meltdown, where he smashed bus windows and challenged a busload of MMA combatants to fight on the spot.Source: Supplied<\/p>\n Among those on board was Holloway, who was originally scheduled to challenge <\/p>\n Nurmagomedov for the lightweight title before being ruled medically unfit just days before the bout.<\/p>\n \u201cWe were on the other bus. I didn\u2019t even know it was Conor,\u201d he told The MMA Hour.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople were yelling, \u2018It\u2019s Conor! It\u2019s Conor!\u2019 And I was like, \u2018I don\u2019t see him.\u2019 When we saw the video, the guy who was running around and stuff was Conor. I was watching him do the crazy stuff. I was like, \u2018Oh, man, that\u2019s pretty nuts.\u2019 <\/p>\n \u201cImagine if they did show up to the media event. I think it would have been even more wild.\u201d<\/p>\n Michael Chiesa suffered multiple facial cuts after being struck by flying glass and was ruled out of his fight with Anthony Pettis.<\/p>\n In footage captured from inside the bus, a bloodied Chiesa can be heard reacting in disbelief as he looks at the damage around him.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat the f**k,\u201d he says, with blood running down his face.<\/p>\n Ray Borg was also forced to withdraw from his fight after suffering an eye injury, while Rose Namajunas later revealed the incident left her so shaken she considered pulling out of her title defence.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think he really meant to break the bus [window] with the dolly,\u201d said Holloway. <\/p>\n \u201cI think that he was shocked that he broke it because when I was watching, he actually picked up a metal trashcan, and he put it down, and he grabbed a plastic trashcan, and he threw that instead. That was after he threw the dolly.\u201d<\/p>\n READ MORE:<\/p>\n \u2018Best Conor yet\u2019: Icon\u2019s huge call on \u2018changed man\u2019 McGregor… and 13-year score to settle<\/a> Full stacked card locked in for blockbuster McGregor return: Everything you need to know<\/a><\/p>\n THE FALLOUT<\/p>\n Within hours, New York police had issued an arrest warrant for McGregor.<\/p>\n UFC boss Dana White was furious.<\/p>\n \u201cThey stormed the building, got down to the loading docks where the fighters were getting on buses and started to attack the buses with trash cans, dollies,\u201d White said.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is the most disgusting thing that has ever happened in the history of this company.\u201d<\/p>\n