Referee Marc Goddard explains why he told Conor McGregor to leave the cage side area

Referee Marc Goddard told Conor McGregor to leave the cage side area during yesterday’s Andre Fili vs. Artem Lobov fight at UFC Gdansk.

The incident occurred during the fights second-round while Andre Fili was in top position on McGregor’s friend and teammate Artem Lobov.

Goddard decided to pause the action and instructed the current UFC lightweight champion to leave the cage side area.

“The reason I interjected is because Artem gets a fourth cornerman cage side giving instruction,” Goddard told MMA Fighting. “That’s not allowed. Imagine had Conor talked him through a fight-ending sequence. Then what?”

McGregor, who was not a licensed corner man for the fight, was walking around shouting instructions to “The Russian Hammer” from outside the octagon.

“Conor was basically acting like a fourth cornerman,” Goddard stated. “Walking around the cage side wherever and whenever he wanted. When Fili took down Artem, Conor was right there. That’s simply not fair and not allowed. I won’t have it. He can’t do as he pleases.”

Goddard continued:

“If Conor had stood up, stayed at his seat, then he could have shouted till his hearts content,” Goddard said. “That’s what he’s supposed to do. But what he simply cannot do, what he is not allowed to do, is approach the cage at any point and as I say act as the fourth corner. That’s unfair and unjust. Anyone who knows me will tell you I’ve done this forever, in any country in any situation. My integrity is not wavered and neither is the rules. We can’t allow that. I simply had to act.”

Artem Lobov would go on to suffer a unanimous decision loss to Andre Fili at yesterday’s event.

Shortly following the setback, Lobov issued a statement on social media where he hinted at a possible retirement.

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