(Editor’s note: Story updated at 6 p.m. ET on June 10, 2023 to include information from The Athletic’s report about the health of the man inside the mascot costume.)
Conor McGregor was in attendance for Game 4 of the 2023 NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and Denver Nuggets, and did more than just promote a product.
After shaking hands and laughing with other star athletes courtside like Odell Beckham Jr., McGregor got into some physical antics with Miami Heat mascot Burnie at the Kaseya Center in Miami – and apparently, things went too far.
McGregor’s appearance included a center court promotion of TIDL, a cryotherapy pain relief spray. However, while McGregor was doing his thing with the Miami Heat emcee, Burnie stepped to McGregor while wearing a pair of giant gold boxing gloves.
Once McGregor realized he was being challenged by the furry fireball depiction, he sat Burnie down with a left hand that nearly took the mascot’s head clean off. Burnie laid motionless on the court, and handlers dragged the unconscious 7’6″ mascot off to the locker room.
Check out video of the moment below (via Twitter):
Conor McGregor KO'd the Heat mascot 😅 #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/IRAKzuMKp2
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 10, 2023
Here’s another angle showing what the “knockout” looked like on the video board for all of the fans throughout the arena:
Conor McGregor knocked out the Miami Heat mascot 😭 pic.twitter.com/86RutVZ9d9
— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) June 10, 2023
While the moment appeared in good fun and a typical playful shenanigan from a professional sports mascot, according to a report from The Atheltic, the man inside the costume was taken to the emergency room of a nearby hospital for treatment. The man received pain medication before being released to return home.
McGregor went too far while throwing hands with the NBA mascot, apparently putting some real power behind his left hand and the follow-up when the mascot was on the ground. It’s unclear at this time if McGregor will face any repercussions for his actions.
McGregor’s return to the UFC cage is expected by the end of the year, according to UFC president Dana White. In his last appearance at UFC 264 in a trilogy against Dustin Poirier, McGregor suffered a broken ankle in the first round.
The former two-division champion was a coach on the currently-airing season of “The Ultimate Fighter Season 31” opposite Michael Chandler. The pair have been rumored to fight at some point after the conclusion of the season, but there has been no date set.
