Cell phone smashing charges reduced
Conor McGregor has had a hell of a month, but things might be looking a little better for him after U.S. prosecutors have decided to reduce the charges against McGregor for the cell-phone smashing incident of last month.
According to a report from USA Today Sports, a lack of evidence lead to reducing one of the felony charges against McGregor to a misdemeanor.
“After reviewing the facts of the incident, the prosecutor realized that there wasn’t enough evidence to support the original felony charges,” former assistant U.S. Attorney David S. Weinstein told USA TODAY Sports.
McGregor allegedly slapped a cell phone out of the hands of a fan hoping to take his picture outside of a Miami Beach hotel. McGregor then stomped on the cell phone, as can be seen in a video of the incident that later surfaced.
The strong-armed robbery charge has been changed to robbery by sudden snatching but moves from a second to a third-degree felony. The felony could create headaches for McGregor and UFC if the charges stick.
“Like his other arrest, his biggest problem is the effect that a conviction will have on his immigration status,” U.S. Attorney David Weinstein said. “A conviction for this offense qualifies as an aggravated felony. It remains a privilege to enter the U.S. and not a right. So if there is a conviction, that will allow U.S. immigration authorities to prevent him from entering the U.S. on a visitor or work visa.”
A hearing is scheduled for April 10.
If McGregor is ultimately prevented from fighting in the U.S., UFC may have to get creative with where they book him to fight or that retirement of his from last week may be more real than even he thought.
Easy
Colby Covington told Submission Radio this week that after he fights Kamaru Usman for the UFC welterweight championship, that he’d like a fight with current lightweight champ Khabib Nurmagomedov.
“Yeah, I mean, it’s an easy fight,” Covington said (transcribed by MMA Fighting). “And he’s already been asking to fight GSP in between welterweight and lightweight, and I can make in between welterweight and lightweight cause I’m not a big welterweight. So, it’s gonna be more rewarding to smash two of Ali’s biggest clients and just leave him crying, dude. He’s already emotional. You saw how emotional he was at the last fight. So, taking down two of his clients and meal tickets is gonna be a sweet feeling.”
As you would expect of Covington, he isn’t showing much respect for Nurmagomedov or his wrestling ability.
“He can’t wrestle as good as me, he’s never faced a high-level Division I All American, a kid who’s been wrestling his whole life. That Sambo sh*t, that sh*t’s weak, man. If wrestling were easy, it would be called Sambo. But it’s not, it’s called wrestling.”
Friday Notebook
-Bellator will hold a welterweight championship fight between the Rory MacDonald-Jon Fitch winner and Neiman Gracie on the Madison Square Garden card on June 14. It will also be a welterweight grand prix semi-final bout.
-UFC vice president of athlete health and performance Jeff Novitsky tweeted a list of the most-tested fighters without a failure. Topping that list was Conor McGregor with 49 samples submitted without any issue.
Who has had the most samples collected and analyzed by USADA without a single issue?@TheNotoriousMMA (49 samples, 38 UFC program/11 May-Mac testing)@dc_mma (45 samples)@RdosAnjosMMA (41 samples)@HollyHolm (39 samples)@stipemiocic (38 samples)
1 of 2
— Jeff Novitzky (@JeffNovitzkyUFC) April 5, 2019
(Cont'd) Who has had the most samples collected and analyzed by USADA without a single issue?@Ruthless_RL (37 samples)@Amanda_Leoa (36 samples)@josealdojunior (36 samples)@TWooodley (35 samples)
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— Jeff Novitzky (@JeffNovitzkyUFC) April 5, 2019
Fight Announcements
-Shinya Aoki vs. Christian Lee at ONE Championship 95: Enter the Dragon on May 17 from Singapore.
-Pedro Munhoz vs. Aljamain Sterling at UFC 238 on June 8 from Chicago.
-Jimmie Rivera vs. Petr Yan, also at UFC 238.
In case you missed it
–MCGRATH: Conor-Khabib feud has gotten out of hand but, in the end, business will win out
–HISCOE: Why UFC fans should be paying close attention to Wrestlemania this Sunday
–KNUCKLE UP: A brief history of bare-knuckle boxing and a BKFC 5 preview
UFC 236 Inside the Octagon preview
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