Was the post-fight melee at UFC 229 a bad black eye for the sport, or just one of those things that can happen in a passionate business like MMA? And does how we answer that question reflect a change in our attitudes about the sport, or the culture as a whole? Retired UFC and WEC fighter Danny Downes joins MMAjunkie columnist Ben Fowlkes to discuss in this week’s Trading Shots.

* * * *

Fowlkes: Well, Danny, for about three seconds there at the conclusion of the UFC 229 main event, it seemed like we might be in for a clear and uncomplicated end to this feud between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor. But then, just as R. Kelly hath foretold in the prophecy, after the show it’s the after-party.

And this party spilled all over the floor of T-Mobile Arena in one big flood of pandemonium.

So you know what happens now. First a lot of Very Serious talk about consequences and “comprehensive investigations.” UFC President Dana White will tell us how “disgusted” he is (again). The legal authorities will demand their pound of flesh in the form of fines. Some opportunistic bystanders may lawyer up and go in search of a payday.

Then a few months from now it’ll all find its way into a UFC highlight package.

Or am I just being cynical here? Will this “disgusting” incident somehow matter in a way that the last one didn’t? Better yet, should it?

Or do we write it off as a bit of thrilling mayhem to keep spectators on their toes? You go to a baseball game, you’ve got to watch for foul balls. At the UFC, hey, you might buy a cageside seat and end up with an angry Dagestani in your lap. What fun!

Downes: Dammit, Ben! You beat me to the cynical punch. I was expecting you to do your usual pearl-clutching and demand far-reaching punishments that had no chance of ever happening. Seems like the last couple years (and this column) have really beat you down. You’re welcome?

First off, we can dismiss White’s disgust right away. Every time we have a scandal in the UFC, he goes out there and tries to give his disappointed dad speech. He tries to feign disgust and real outrage, but we know it’s all an act.

I’m sure he’s legitimately upset about what happened last night. Not for any of the reasons he states, though. He cares about optics, how it will make his life harder and how it will affect the bottom line. He couldn’t give two squirts of Proper Twelve about anything else.

As far as repercussions are concerned, I think we already know how this will play out. Those of only minor celebrity will probably get harsher sentences. Maybe their visas are revoked or White actually holds to his word to make sure they never fight in the UFC. Nurmagomedov, on the other hand, will probably receive a nominal fine and some other slap on the wrist.

That may not seem like “justice,” but what else should be done? If you strip him of the title, how do you square that with how the UFC has disciplined McGregor through the years? I would argue that Nurmagomedov and his group’s actions were more egregious than the McGregor bus attack, but I don’t know if that matters at this point.

Now that we’ve agreed that the principal parties will walk off with millions of dollars and little to no consequences, let’s talk about the UFC. Did last night hurt the promotion at all? Sure, it’s a bad look, but it will also lead to a ton of press. The brawl will overshadow the fact that the cash cow was thoroughly beaten and tapped out. ESPN certainly isn’t backing away from the MMA push. So did anyone really lose last night?

Fowlkes: If this had happened in the UFC, say, 10 or 15 years ago? It would have been a major problem. The sport and the brand would have suffered, possibly in catastrophic ways.

But now? Not only is MMA more firmly established, but the whole culture has changed. Look around. We are not shocked nearly so easily these days. Every week it seems like we astound ourselves anew with what we can normalize and accept.

Now you’re telling me a few cage fighters got into a fight after a fight, and the big issue is that it happened on just the other side of the cage? Man, that barely even rates as unusual in the current cultural climate.

But I do wonder about some of the justifications being tossed around in the aftermath. Nurmagomedov showed up after the fight to tell reporters that this was basically all McGregor’s fault for talking about his family and his religion and his country.

But a) this is the same guy who, at open workouts, taunted Irish fans about why they speak English, and b) didn’t anyone tell him that he’s in the one sport where you get your chance to punish your antagonizers as part of the sport itself?

If you want to tell me that McGregor earned himself a beatdown with all the things he said, fine, go beat him down during the fight. That’s what you get to do. That’s what you are paid to do. It’s the best possible setup for someone looking for revenge. Going after his cornermen after you win, it adds nothing.

And the people trying to explain it away as an inevitable consequence of Dagestani culture just come off as condescending. They’re people just like the rest of us. They make choices and live with consequences. Treating them like wild animals who can’t help but strike out violently the instant they hear words they don’t like, that does them no favors.

As far as lasting damage to the sport, though, I don’t see it. Seems to me that the only people outraged at this behavior from MMA fighters are people in the MMA bubble. Maybe the rest of the world already assumed this is the kind of stuff we were up to.

Downes: Wow, you’ve already resigned yourself to indifference less than 24 hours after a “scandal.” That must be some type of new record for you. I wish it were because of personal growth, but like you said, it’s probably more attributed to environmental adaptation.

People are busy trying to assess who deserves what share of the blame. As if saying McGregor was responsible for 60 percent of the chaos and Khabib caused the other 40 percent changes anything. Sadly, whataboutism is another fallacy particularly en vogue today.

It’s certainly reasonable to classify levels of bad behavior. First degree murder is “worse” than second degree murder. When it comes to last night, however, I don’t see any use in determining who was the belligerent party. Why can’t we put a pox on all their houses and call it a day?

Many people have called last night a “black eye” on the sport. Was it any worse than the Strikeforce brawl between Jason Miller and the Diaz Brothers? Was it worse for the sport than the “Malice at the Palace” was for the NBA?

I have had my share of black eyes, and while they may look ugly for a few weeks, they always heal up. That’s not to say that what happened last night should be permissible, but McGregor, Nurmagomedov, and the UFC will all recover from it. And we’ll be right back here to talk about their next one.

For complete coverage of UFC 229, check out the UFC Events section of the site.

Ben Fowlkes is MMAjunkie and USA TODAY’s MMA columnist. Danny Downes, a retired UFC and WEC fighter, is an MMAjunkie contributor who has also written for UFC.com and UFC 360. Follow them on twitter at @benfowlkesMMA and @dannyboydownes.