Three of UFC 329’s biggest winners left Las Vegas with smaller paychecks after the Nevada State Athletic Commission imposed fines for post-fight conduct. The commission withheld purses and, following disciplinary hearings on Wednesday, took $2,500 from each of Paddy Pimblett, Max Holloway and debutant Gable Steveson for climbing the Octagon at the T-Mobile Arena after their wins on July 11.
The event closed International Fight Week, with Max Holloway declared the victor in the main event after Conor McGregor’s comeback ended in another injury, and Pimblett delivering a 52-second finish over Benoit Saint-Denis. Steveson, making his UFC debut, also joined the post-fight celebration that runs afoul of Nevada rules. The Nevada State Athletic Commission explicitly prohibits fighters from climbing or exiting the cage, and it has previously fined athletes who break the restriction.
Those earlier penalties included $2,500 fines for Diego Lopes and Mayra Bueno Silva, demonstrating the rule is not new. MMA Junkie reporter Nolan King first disclosed that the UFC 329 purses were being held, and later reported that each of the three fighters lost $2,500 from their pay. King also flagged ongoing policy discussions, writing, “Lots of talk about the Khabib vs. Conor incident in 2018, and discussion about stricter penalties going forward.”
The enforcement drew swift criticism from high-profile figures in the sport. Daniel Cormier named the policy the “most ridiculous rule” in all of mixed martial arts on his YouTube channel, and Michael Bisping expressed similar objections in a reaction video. Their responses reflect wider debate in the MMA community about the severity and logic of penalising celebrations that have become common at major events.
With the disciplinary process complete, the NSAC’s decision to withhold purses and impose fines signals tougher oversight of cage conduct for now. Reporting indicates the commission is discussing tougher penalties in response to past incidents and the 2018 Khabib-Conor pattern, leaving fighters and promoters to weigh the risk of future celebrations against potential financial penalties.
