Updated April 06, 2018 14:15:54

UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor allegedly caused chaos at Brooklyn's Barclays Center by gate-crashing a media event.

McGregor, 29, is alleged to have entered the UFC 223 building through a side entrance together with his entourage before trying to attack a van containing Russian lightweight contender Khabib Nurmagomedov and other fighters.

New York Police Department spokesperson Tarik Sheppard said they were "looking into the incident" but as yet no arrests or warrants had been issued.

Video footage circulated on social media that showed McGregor running in a loading area and picking up a trolley.

Clips shot from inside the van showed an object hitting and cracking the vehicle's windshield before the driver reversed away.

"This is the most disgusting thing that has ever happened in the history of the company," UFC president Dana White told website MMA Junkie.

Nurmagomedov is due to face Max Holloway in a showdown for McGregor's belt, which he won in 2016 but never defended, and Mr White has said the winner of Saturday's bout would be crowned undisputed champion.

Earlier in the week, Nurmagomedov confronted Artem Lobov, McGregor's Russian friend, teammate and sparring partner, in a hotel in New York — an incident which may have provoked the Irish fighter.

Mr White subsequently told reporters at the venue that Lobov would not be allowed to fight Alex Caceres as scheduled on Saturday.

Photo: Khabib Nurmagomedov is due to face Max Holloway in a showdown for Conor McGregor's (pictured) belt. (Reuters: Steve Marcus)

Reuters

Topics: boxing, sport, law-crime-and-justice, united-states

First posted April 06, 2018 11:35:29