Conor McGregor, the notorious Irish mixed martial artist, launched a blistering verbal attack on Usman Nurmagomedov and his family following Nurmagomedov’s successful Bellator lightweight title defense against Ireland’s Paul Hughes. McGregor, watching remotely from Philadelphia where he was attending a Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship event, took to social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, to express his vehement disapproval of both Nurmagomedov’s fighting style and the perceived fighting ethos of the Nurmagomedov family. He characterized Usman as a “runner, sprinter, bolter, scarper, scurrying ‘fighter’,” echoing criticisms often levelled at Khabib Nurmagomedov, Usman’s more famous cousin. This outburst reignited the simmering animosity stemming from McGregor’s infamous 2018 loss to Khabib at UFC 229, a defeat that clearly continues to rankle the Irish fighter.
McGregor’s tirade extended beyond Usman, encompassing the entire Nurmagomedov fighting clan. He declared the Nurmagomedovs “the most non-fighting fighters out of Dagestan and all time,” accusing them of employing a strategy based primarily on running and wrestling, rather than engaging in stand-up striking exchanges. He asserted that the region of Dagestan, renowned for its rich combat sports heritage, deserves better representatives than the Nurmagomedovs. This broadside painted a picture of McGregor’s deep-seated resentment, not just towards Khabib, but towards the entire family’s fighting philosophy, which he clearly views with disdain.
The fight between Nurmagomedov and Hughes, billed as “Dagestan vs. Ireland 2,” served as a symbolic rematch of the 2018 clash between Khabib Nurmagomedov and McGregor. While Usman Nurmagomedov ultimately secured a majority decision victory, McGregor vehemently disagreed with the judges’ verdict. He insisted that Hughes had “dominated the fight” and deserved the win. This assessment, starkly contrasting with the official result, further highlighted McGregor’s enduring bias against the Nurmagomedov family and his unwavering support for his fellow Irishman.
While Usman Nurmagomedov had initially downplayed Hughes’s chances before the fight, he later acknowledged the Irishman’s resilience and skill. Despite this show of respect, Nurmagomedov dismissed the possibility of an immediate rematch, stating that Hughes would need to earn another shot at the title through further victories. This position further fueled Hughes’s own dissatisfaction with the outcome, as he publicly criticized the judges’ scoring and demanded a rematch, claiming he deserved the belt.
The contentious decision and McGregor’s incendiary reaction intensified the rivalry between the McGregor and Nurmagomedov camps, adding another layer to the already complex narrative surrounding the two families. The initial confrontation between Khabib and McGregor at UFC 229 transcended the realm of sport, becoming a cultural clash with far-reaching implications. McGregor’s latest outburst demonstrates that the animosity between the two sides remains potent and is likely to continue fueling future conflicts, both inside and outside the cage.
McGregor’s social media rant served as a reminder of the lingering bitterness and unresolved tensions stemming from his defeat to Khabib. His forceful and disparaging remarks about Usman Nurmagomedov and the entire Nurmagomedov family underscore the deep-seated nature of the rivalry. While ostensibly sparked by the outcome of the Hughes-Nurmagomedov fight, McGregor’s words betray a broader resentment towards the Nurmagomedovs’ fighting style and their perceived dominance in the sport. This incident adds another chapter to the ongoing saga between the two camps, leaving open the possibility of future confrontations, both real and rhetorical.
