The post-fight brawl that unexpectedly broke an Independent record

McGregor and Khabib: these are supposed to be two professionals; they’re supposed to play by the rules. Haven’t they ever seen 'Million Dollar Baby?'

When I woke on Sunday morning, I had one thing on my mind: Who triumphed in the previous night’s McGregor vs Khabib fight? It was an unusual thought for me to have. I’d be lying if I said I was a fan of UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship), or any professional fighting really, but the hype over the previous few days had been inescapable.

Grabbing my phone, I opened my app detailing how many people are reading articles on The Independent website. What I saw made me sit bolt upright.

Tens of thousands of readers were flocking to articles about what had happened, with huge numbers watching the video of Khabib Nurmagomedov leaping from the Octagon to fight McGregor’s coaches while the defeated Irishman was mobbed inside the cage. There was significant interest from all around the world in this story and it was obvious why.