The Nevada State Athletic Commission issued $2,500 fines to Max Holloway, Paddy Pimblett, and Gable Steveson on Wednesday, ending a dispute over cage-climbing celebrations at UFC 329. The commission had frozen portions of their fight purses following the July 11 card at T-Mobile Arena while awaiting a formal disciplinary hearing.
However, before the official ruling, former middleweight champion Michael Bisping blasted the penalty on his YouTube channel, calling the decision to freeze fighter purses a “crime.”
Michael Bisping Calls Paddy Pimblett’s Cage-Climb Penalty a ‘Crime’
Paddy Pimblett submitted Benoît Saint Denis in just 52 seconds at UFC 329 — the same card that featured Conor McGregor’s return after five years away from the sport. But Pimblett landed in trouble for his post-fight celebration, where he scaled the cage to high-five ringside fans and greet Dana White.
Max Holloway and Gable Steveson celebrated in a similar way, triggering an automatic review from the Nevada State Athletic Commission that froze all three fighters’ purses for over a month.
Former middleweight champion Michael Bisping fiercely defended the fighters on his YouTube channel, calling the rule absolute nonsense. The UFC veteran referenced his own incident at UFC 199, arguing that docking fighters or freezing their purses over an emotional victory celebration completely misses the point of the sport.
“I did it at UFC 199 in California, one of the strictest commissions in the world,” he said. “A lot of fighters jump on top of the cage. You’ve just won in front of thousands of people and millions watching around the world. You’re allowed to celebrate winning.
He drew a direct comparison to boxing and added, “Boxers jump on the ropes all the time. But MMA fighters jump on the cage and suddenly they get fined or have their purses withheld. It’s nonsense. It’s a crime. It’s the athletic commissions trying to get a few bucks for themselves. This rule needs to be changed.”
The controversy stems directly from Pimblett’s explosive mindset following his victory. He dropped some remarks right before the McGregor vs. Holloway main event, a fight that lasted only 69 seconds due to McGregor’s sudden knee injury. Critics argue that by punishing Pimblett’s post-fight reaction, the commission is trying to eliminate the raw emotion that makes the sport so popular.
Paddy Pimblett’s Camp Fights Fine as Nevada Cites Safety
The commission got strict after the UFC 229 brawl in 2018, when Khabib Nurmagomedov jumped the fence and sparked a massive riot. At Wednesday’s meeting, chairman Dallas Haun recalled ten minutes of pure chaos that left a holding cell packed with handcuffed people. Because of that night, Nevada treats leaving the cage as a zero-tolerance safety issue.
The $2,500 penalty matches the fines given to Diego Lopes and Mayra Bueno Silva for the same issue in 2024. Still, Pimblett’s manager, Graham Boylan, texted MMA Junkie to call the policy outdated, urging the commission to use common sense. Daniel Cormier also criticized the rule on his YouTube channel, calling it the most ridiculous regulation in the sport.
Gable Steveson, Paddy Pimblett, and Max Holloway are being fined $2,500 by the Nevada State Athletic Commission for #UFC329 cage-hops
Lots of talk about the Khabib vs. Conor incident in 2018, and discussion about stricter penalties going forward. Story headed to @MMAJunkie
— Nolan King (@mma_kings) August 26, 2026
Despite the backlash, the fines passed as expected; Nevada has no plans to review the policy. While the penalty barely dents Pimblett’s massive payday, the ongoing debate over post-fight celebrations is nowhere near finished.
