Game 4 of the NBA Finals has gone down in infamy for Conor McGregor. He was accused of raping a woman just after the game concluded. However, he also sent the Heat's mascot to the hospital. Partway through the third quarter, the UFC veteran came onto the court alongside Burnie, the Heat’s anthropomorphized fireball mascot. Burnie donned novelty boxing gloves before almost immediately being rocked by a 1-2 punch combo from McGregor. As the mascot writhed on the floor, McGregor sprayed him with a pain relief aerosol. The stunt had been set up to promote the spray, which McGregor co-owns.
However, it was later reported that the man inside the mascot costume had been sent to the ER and received pain medication following the incident. Later, McGregor said that he had visited the man. “The mascot is good. It was a skit, and all is well,” the MMA veteran said. “I spent a lot of time with him afterward, we talked it out, everything is great. It was all part of the show!” Despite McGregor’s assurances, it was likely not the promotion that Tidl Sport Recovery Spray was looking for. That appears to be the case given the latest news out of Miami.
Heat Reportedly Backing Out Of Deal With McGregor
“This was very bad for an otherwise crystal clean organization,” said an insider. “I can’t imagine the Heat brass want the Tidl Sports patch on their jerseys — it’s a reminder of the 24 hours of hell the organization went through.” Reportedly, the deal would have seen Heat players wearing branded patches on their uniforms in the 2023-24 season. However, it appears that the Heat want to distance themselves from the fighter. Literally KOing a team's mascot will do that.
Furthermore, the other allegations from that night have given the Heat pause for concern. While there has been little progression in the case in recent weeks, McGregor is still accused of violently assaulting a woman at the Heat's arena. Even if the accusations are proven to be false, it's yet another thing that taints McGregor's presence at the Kaseya Center. For the time being, it appears that Miami's cashing out of the partnership with the pain spray.
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