Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka has shared that it was positive to cross paths with Conor McGregor despite the latter’s recent contentious behavior in north London.

The MMA icon was present at Arsenal’s Champions League game against Paris Saint-Germain, where the Gunners celebrated a 2-0 triumph thanks to goals from Kai Havertz and Saka— marking their inaugural win in the 2024/25 European campaign.

Post-match videos surfaced showing McGregor strolling on the pitch post-game and being asked by security to depart. Notably, McGregor, who reportedly wasn’t an official guest of Arsenal, managed to gain access via third-party ticketing and ventured to the field of his own accord after the game ended.

Additionally, he was seen engaging in some playful soccer and mock martial arts moves with Declan Rice and Saka. In one encounter captured on video, the English footballer amusingly warned, “Be careful, man! ” as McGregor appeared to try taking him down after a series of kicks.

Currently, Arsenal is probing the incident that saw McGregor mixing it up with the players following the match. Reports from The Times suggest the club is keen on understanding how the UFC celebrity managed on-field access and aims to prevent similar instances going forward.

Arsenal supporters were furious over the incident, but Bukayo Saka smoothed things over by sharing on Instagram that it was ‘good to meet’ Conor McGregor and assured there was ‘no harm done’ following their ‘friendly spar’. The MMA star might have mingled with Gunners at Emirates Stadium, yet he’s a self-proclaimed Manchester United supporter.

During an interview with FIFA in 2021, McGregor expressed his loyalty: “I was more a player than a watcher back then, but Manchester United was my team. I was attracted to the success and winning mentality of the club and people surrounded by United. Irish legends like Denis Irwin and Roy Keane were dedicated to their craft and had that winning mentality. Roy Keane was one of the best midfielders European football has ever seen. Opponents would be mentally beaten before they’d even stepped on to the pitch to face him. Then they had the don of football at the helm, the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson.”

McGregor hasn’t stepped into the Octagon since his defeat to Dustin Poirier in 2021 and although a comeback against Michael Chandler was on the cards earlier this year, an injury sidelined those plans. UFC boss Dana White has full confidence in McGregor’s return in 2025, stating when questioned about his comeback: “Yes. I wasn’t 100 per cent in 2024, but I am in 2025. I just am. I know more than you guys know. I’m 100 per cent confident McGregor will fight next year.”