Khabib Nurmagomedov has zero patience for Conor McGregor.
The latest verbal volley between the two came about as a result of McGregor starting a fresh feud with fellow Irishman Paul Hughes. Hughes lost a majority decision to lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov at PFL Dubai this past weekend after a spirited five-round contest, a performance that initially drew praise from McGregor.
However, McGregor turned on Hughes after seeing footage of Hughes seemingly slighting him in a post-fight chat with Khabib, prompting “The Notorious” to write a series of later-deleted tweets insulting Hughes and his Northern Irish heritage. Hughes coolly dismissed McGregor’s comments and now Khabib has weighed in with a considerably less tactful response.
@khabib_nurmagomedov, Instagram Stories
“You are a real Irishman [Hughes] and not a rapist and drug addict like this bastard,” Nurmagomedov wrote via Instagram Stories.
Nurmagomedov and McGregor have a long history, with a heated feud that culminated in the two fighting at UFC 229 in October 2018. On that night, Nurmagomedov successfully defended his lightweight title with a fourth-round submission of McGregor, then sparked a post-fight brawl by attacking McGregor’s cornerman Dillon Danis. The incident resulted in McGregor, Nurmagomedov, and several other fighters receiving suspensions and fines.
McGregor is likely to respond on social media, though he’s done little actual fighting in recent years. The former two-division champion has not competed since breaking his leg in a loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021. He’s made headlines for all the wrong reasons recently, being found liable for sexual assault in a civil suit tied to a 2018 incident in Dublin, and he’s currently facing another civil suit stemming from an alleged sexual assault at a Miami Heat game in 2023.
