Renowned UFC icon Conor McGregor found himself in the midst of controversy when he was booed off the court at Kaseya Center on Friday night after punching the Miami Heat mascot while announcing a partnership with the team.
During a timeout, McGregor announced an official sponsorship deal between his body spray company TIDL Sport and the Miami Heat. He also said that it was his first time sitting courtside at an NBA game.
What appeared to be a carefully orchestrated skit took an unexpected turn when McGregor squared off against Burnie, the anthropomorphic representation of the Miami Heat’s fireball logo.
Wearing boxing gloves and a championship belt, Burnie stood ready to face McGregor in a staged showdown. McGregor sprayed his TIDL Sport body spray on Burnie and then proceeded to deliver a knockout blow. He then ended up landing further strikes on Burnie as he lay incapacitated on the ground.
The already-jeering audience burst into a loud boo until McGregor finally left the court.
Miami’s official Twitter account initially shared a video of McGregor expressing his support for the Heat prior to the incident. In the video, McGregor could be seen wearing a red jacket and cheering on the Heat.
The franchise’s social media staff secretly removed any references to McGregor after his disastrous third quarter timeout.
It’ll be fascinating to see whether McGregor’s sponsorship deal is impacted in any way. But for now, it’s unclear if removing the footage had anything to do with the audience turning against him.
Miami is facing a win-or-go-home road game in the 2023 NBA Finals after dropping Game 4 to the Denver Nuggets.
However, this sponsorship controversy is not the only issue McGregor has been facing recently. Recently, fans all around the globe are paying attention closely as the continuing conflict between Conor McGregor and YouTuber True Geordie reaches new heights. Geordie’s analysis on McGregor’s recent interviews at The Black Forge Inn in a video did not sit well with McGregor.
In reaction to Geordie’s critique, McGregor vented his rage on Twitter and in an explicit voice message. The provocative post from McGregor was immediately addressed by True Geordie as he challenged the former UFC champion to a charity match, giving them a chance to resolve their grievances on the mat.