UFC star Conor McGregor playfully aimed punches and kicks at Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka (Picture: X)
Bukayo Saka has moved to calm the furore after Conor McGregor stormed the Emirates pitch and play-fought him in the wake of Arsenal’s victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.
Goals from Kai Havertz and Saka sealed the Gunners a comfortable win on home soil but McGregor’s wild antics would go on to steal many of the headlines, with the UFC sensation reportedly entering the field without permission after the final whistle.
McGregor, a corporate guest on the night, was pictured enjoying a kickabout with Declan Rice and a separate video showed the 36-year-old squaring up to Saka in jest before aiming three playful kicks at the Arsenal winger.
Saka then held out a hand to McGregor before the former featherweight and lightweight champion wrestled the young England international with some force – infuriating Arsenal supporters across social media.
According to The Times, the episode has been the subject of an internal inquiry at Arsenal, with head coach Mikel Arteta less than impressed and ‘worried’ by McGregor being so physical with his star forward.
McGregor – who received VIP tickets through third party company 1Access – was asked to return to the stands, with ‘a high level of concern’ surrounding the Dubliner’s rough-and-tumble behaviour.
The storm has been allowed to rumble on for several days, with many fans voicing their unease, but Saka took to Instagram on Tuesday night to insist it was ‘good to meet’ McGregor and there was ‘no harm done’ after their ‘friendly spar’.
‘No harm done’ – Saka shared a selfie with McGregor on his Instagram page
McGregor has been at the centre of a number of controversies in the past, which Arsenal are keen to distance themselves from.
The veteran fighter was convicted of the assault of a man in a Dublin pub in 2019 and came under fire last year after hospitalising Miami Heat’s mascot by punching him twice during the NBA Finals.
It has been over three years since McGregor last appeared in the Octagon. He suffered defeat – and broke his leg – at the hands of Dustin Poirier in his last fight.
McGregor had been due to do battle with Michael Chandler at UFC 303 in June but a toe injury forced the bout to be postponed.
McGregor has not fought in the UFC since 2021 (Picture: Getty)
Chandler will instead be facing Brazil’s Charles Oliveira in a month’s time and McGregor is not expected to return to action until next year at the earliest.
‘I’m sad for the fans who wanted the entertainment of the press conference and the pay-per-view and the card and all,’ McGregor told Severe MMA after pulling out of his proposed fight with Chandler.
‘But look, it was just one of those damned things.
‘How could I justify making that walk again and then be stationary, flat on the feet, and saying to my fans afterward, “Oh, this happened but I made the walk for you guys”?
‘The fans have seen this. I can’t do it again. If you’re paying that much, you deserve to see the best of me. So that’s what they’re going to see.
‘It’s on me now and my team of coaches and my team of training partners to really dial it in and make sure that happens – and I’m confident we will.’
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