Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images
Former UFC champion Conor McGregor knocked out the Miami Heat mascot during a midgame promotion at Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Friday night.
McGregor was at the game to promote his new pain relief spray, and he was booed by many in the Miami crowd when he was introduced. The mascot, known as Burnie, came out to challenge McGregor to a fight, and the two men exchanged punches.
McGregor landed a left hook that knocked Burnie to the ground, and he then followed up with a punch to the face that sent the mascot to the hospital.
Per The Athletic:
During a mid-game bit in which McGregor was promoting his pain relief spray, he coldcocked Burnie with a hard left hook and sent him sprawling to the floor before landing another punch on the ground while spraying his product on him as he was dragged away.
The skit was clearly by design, as Burnie had confronted McGregor while wearing gold boxing gloves, but the excessive power behind the MMA fighter’s punch did enough damage that medical treatment was deemed necessary.
Conor McGregor KO’d the Heat mascot 😅 #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/IRAKzuMKp2
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 10, 2023
The Heat lost the game to the Denver Nuggets, 108-95. The Nuggets lead the series 3-1 and will look to close it out in Game 5 on Monday night.
McGregor’s actions have been met with a lot of criticism for being too aggressive. It remains to be seen whether McGregor will face any disciplinary action from the NBA.
