Conor McGregor was sitting courtside in Miami for Game 4 of the NBA Finals between the Heat and Denver Nuggets on Friday night when he got into it with one of the most beloved figures in the arena — Miami’s mascot Burnie.
Or maybe it was the other way around, since Burnie approached McGregor wearing boxing gloves and looking ready to spar. Either way, what was supposed to be a fun bit between the mascot and MMA star turned very real very quickly.
After taking what was supposed to be a playful set of punches from McGregor, the man inside the Burnie costume was sent to a nearby emergency room, according to The Athletic’s Sam Amick.
The man was reportedly given pain medication at the hospital before being sent home where he “is doing well”.
Conor McGregor KO'd the Heat mascot 😅 #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/IRAKzuMKp2
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 10, 2023
Per Amick:
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.
Denver won the game, 108-95, to take a commanding 3-1 series lead as the Finals shifts back to the Rocky Mountains.
But the true lesson of the night is that even when McGregor isn’t trying to punch hard, he still delivers some serious damage. The next mascot who sees McGregor in their arena will surely remember this moment.