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The 2021 MTV Video Music Awards took place on Sunday, and it was just as drama filled as usual.

To kick off the night, UFC star Conor McGregor and Machine Gun Kelly got into a chaotic skirmish before the event even started:

Videos and pictures taken by onlookers at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on Sunday show McGregor trying to push past security to get to Kelly, even hurling his water bottle at the rapper turned pop-punk star:

While the reason for the altercation has not been confirmed by either party, TMZ first reported that the fight started after Kelly refused to take a photo with the fighter. The outlet later updated their report to claim that a source close to McGregor said that he simply wanted to say hello to Kelly.

“The fighter wanted to say hello to MGK, stuck his hand out and started walking up to the singer,” wrote TMZ. “We’re told MGK said something — that Conor couldn’t hear — and MGK’s security pushed Conor away. Our source says Conor doesn’t understand what the issue was, and was surprised by how he was treated.”

Variety also reported that the squabble began after McGregor attempted to approach Kelly and was stopped “and pushed” by the singer’s security team.

“Continuing to press forward, Kelly ‘sort of snarled’ at McGregor, says the observer who noted that McGregor, walking the

carpet with a cane following a recent injury in the ring, ‘fell back and dropped his cane,'” Variety reported, quoting witnesses at the scene. “He held onto most of his drink, though, yelling something along the lines of ‘that fucking punk punched me.’”

“McGregor’s handlers were ‘begging him’ to let it go, and it seemed Kelly and girlfriend Megan Fox did,” added Variety. “Shortly after, Kelly and Fox — wearing a Mugler dress — walked the carpet posing for photographers.”

When asked by Variety regarding the fight, Kelly swatted the microphone and walked away:

Fox quickly attempted to clarify the reaction by explaining, “We’re not allowed to talk about it.”

McGregor was also tight lipped when asked about the moment, claiming there was “no scuffle at all” when asked Entertainment Tonight.

“I just showed up and I don’t know, I don’t even know the guy to be honest with you,” McGregor said. “Just rumors. Nothing happened with me — I only fight real fighters. People that actually fight, you know what I mean? I certainly don’t fight little vanilla boy rappers.”

A representative for McGregor also denied that the fight even happened, similarly telling Page Six, “Conor only fights fighters.”

Watch McGregor’s response above, via YouTube.

Tags: 2021 MTV Movie and TV Awards, conor mcgregor, Machine Gun Kelly., MTV VMAs, VMAs 2021