Khabib Nurmagomedov does not believe in letting bygones be bygones, at least not when it comes to Conor McGregor.
Nurmagomedov and McGregor had arguably the biggest rivalry in the history of MMA, culminating in their record-breaking fight at UFC 229 where Nurmagomedov throttled the former champ-champ, submitting him in the fourth round. The event was the highest-grossing MMA Pay-Per-View of all time and became infamous for what transpired immediately after Nurmagomedov’s win, when he launched himself
into the crowd to attack Dillon Danis, setting off a massive brawl.
But despite soundly beating McGregor and even attacking his team, Nurmagomedov still hasn’t put his feelings about the Irish superstar behind him.
“He won’t say his name still today,” Cormier said on Club Shay Shay. “He still does not say his name. He still won’t say his name. Last week he did an interview in New York and he said ‘This guy.’ He’ll never say his name. He hates him!”
In his prime, McGregor was one of the best trash-talkers in MMA, relentlessly taunting opponents and engaging in mental warfare, and while he had success with such tactics against other fighters, it didn’t work with Nurmagomedov. Instead “The Eagle” took the various insults to his family, his religion, and himself personally, and exacted his vengeance with a voracious beatdown before finally finishing McGregor in the fourth round.
“Dude, they’re in the octagon and Conor goes, he whispers after the third round, after Khabib’s [beating him], ‘It’s just business.’ Khabib goes, no it ain’t. No it ain’t,” Cormier said. “You don’t mess with them dudes, man. Them Russian dude’s different.”
“He was going to kill him. He was going to put him to sleep. He was holding him and he said, ‘I kicked your ass. I kicked your ass.’ Then he jumped over the fence and tried to beat his team. I was like, ‘Woah!’
“But dude, he had him. He was not going to let him go because he felt his family got so disrespected by this dude that he wanted to end him. And honestly, sometimes you bite off more than you can chew. Because Conor got beat bad that night. He got beat bad.“
That fight the Nurmagomedov’s first lightweight title defense. He would go on to defend it twice more before retiring from the sport in 2020 following the death of his father.
McGregor has fought three more times since the loss to Nurmagomedov, a win over Donald Cerrone, then a pair of losses to Dustin Poirier. “Notorious” has not competed since 2021, though he has shown interest in fighting at the proposed UFC White House card next July.
TOP STORIES
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Mailbag. UFC 319 Mailbag: Is Khamzat Chimaev boring?
VIDEO STEW
Aljamain Sterling interview.
UFC Shanghai Media Day.
Daniel Cormier reacts to the Jake Paul news.
FLAVOR IN YOUR EAR
No Bets Barred.
SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE
Good guys Max and Dustin.
Reaction.
Pretty much sums it up.
I’d watch.
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Rob Font (22-8) vs. Raul Rosas Jr. (11-1); Noche UFC 3, Sep. 13.
Jarred Brooks (21-5, 1 NC) vs. Mansur Malachiev (13-1); ONE Fight Night 36, Oct. 3.
Lucas Almeida (15-4) vs. Michael Aswell (10-3); UFc Rio, Oct. 11.
FINAL THOUGHTS
As a person who knows how to hold a grudge and hate forever, I respect the pettiness from Khabib. No need to forgive Conor since he’s never once apologized. You hold onto that hate, Khabib. I see you.
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