UFC star Conor McGregor went viral for punching the Miami Heat’s mascot during Game 4 of the NBA Finals. As it turns out, the mascot had to go to the ER.
The Miami Heat are one loss away from getting “knocked out” in the NBA Finals, after their Game 4 defeat on Friday night to the Denver Nuggets. But during the game, the Heat had a skit that featured their mascot, Burnie, instigating a fight with UFC star Conor McGregor, which caught the attention of social media.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1667357016463900672
The skit, which was meant to promote a pain relief spray, saw McGregor punch Burnie not once, but twice, with the latter occurring as the mascot lay down on the court. And McGregor didn’t pull his punches, either.
According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, the man who dons the Burnie costume had to go to the emergency room after the skit. A league source told Amick that the man was prescribed pain medication, and he’s doing fine while recovering at home. 
As for the Heat, they are now down 3-1 in their series against the Nuggets. Even with Nuggets star Nikola Jokic on the bench for a lengthy amount of time in the fourth quarter, the Heat were unable to take advantage of the opportunity, instead falling 108-95.
If the Nuggets can take Game 5 on Monday, then the final appearance of Burnie in the 2022-23 season will be of the mascot getting punched hard in the face by McGregor. If the Heat can win Game 5 in Denver, then the series will head back to Miami one last time.