Dana White Releases Sparring Footage Between Conor McGregor and Paulie Malignaggi
Was it or wasn’t it a knockdown?
That’s the question after UFC president Dana White released footage from the recent sparring session between Conor McGregor and Paulie Malignaggi on Friday night.
The controversy came after Malignaggi left McGregor’s training camp amidst allegations that photos being released from their sparring sessions weren’t telling the true story from what actually happened over the 12 rounds they spent in the ring together.
In particular, Malignaggi disputed a knockdown that McGregor touted in one particular photo by saying that it was actually a shove from the UFC lightweight champion in response to a rough exchange on the feet.
White released the videos on Friday and from the initial footage it looks like McGregor clips Malignaggi with a short uppercut before the former two-division champion tumbles to the mat. Of course, McGregor’s arm was on the back of Malignaggi’s neck but the sequence moved fast so it’s tough to see how that would be considered a push to the mat.
Judge for yourselves with the footage below:
Here is the video everyone wanted to see of Conor vs Paulie Malignaggi former IBF and WBA World Champion @TheNotoriousMMA pic.twitter.com/GfFP3SKsye
— Dana White (@danawhite) August 12, 2017
White also showed off another clip with McGregor landing a hard, stinging series of punches that had Malignaggi backed up against the ropes before the video ends.
For all the people who think @TheNotoriousMMA can't box. This is gonna be a FIGHT! Conor vs Paulie Malignaggi former IBF/WBA World Champion. pic.twitter.com/CcTkFq0fhr
— Dana White (@danawhite) August 12, 2017
Malignaggi responded on Friday night by disputing that the footage told the whole story from what actually happened in the sparring session.
Pushing my head down with right hand as he's draggin me in that direction by it then throwin the left, the push down is with right hand. https://t.co/txdK1ZQsIi
— Paul Malignaggi (@PaulMalignaggi) August 12, 2017
U don't see his right hand dragging me behind my neck to the right where his lead right foot from southpaw stance is? Notoriously blind bro. https://t.co/HFebzWIK07
— Paul Malignaggi (@PaulMalignaggi) August 12, 2017
Watch right hand drag me behind my neck, hes also a southpaw so it's draggin me toward his lead foot that I trip over, have push half trip. https://t.co/QevX3n5Q0v
— Paul Malignaggi (@PaulMalignaggi) August 12, 2017
Despite the video being released, it doesn’t appear we’re any closer to knowing the full story behind this sparring session between Malignaggi and McGregor.
