Conor McGregor will never pass up on an opportunity to trash talk a Nurmagomedov, and this weekend was no different as fellow Irishman Paul Hughes took Usman Nurmagomedov to a close majority decision at PFL: Road to Dubai on Saturday.
The PFL had played up the Ireland vs. Dagestan rivalry, implying it was the sequel to the infamous Conor vs. Khabib showdown from 2018. That fight saw Khabib tap McGregor in the fourth round. This fight saw Hughes overcome Usman’s takedowns to force a tight war on the feet (watch the highlights here). Following Hughes’ valiant performance, Khabib took to the microphone at Coca-Cola Arena and spoke to fans of both fighters.
“All these things beginning between my side and other guy’s side when we was fighting,” Khabib said. “Don’t forget, Ireland is the biggest supporter in the world for Palestine. Don’t forget about this. We love you guys. You, your government, everybody. When we’re inside the cage, only competition. MMA, all about respect. We love you guys because you guys support our brothers in Palestine. I love you guys. Thank you so much, Paul!”
Classy words from Khabib. As for Conor’s reaction to the fight?
Tremendous fight and performance! Easy win for Hughes, he DOMINATED THAT FIGHT. And Umar exactly what it says on the tin, a Nurmagamedov. Runner, sprinter, bolter, scarper, scurrying “fighter”. The Nurmagomedovs are not fighters. They are the most non fighting fighters out of… https://t.co/oHzDcJ0mF0
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) January 25, 2025
“Tremendous fight and performance! Easy win for Hughes, he DOMINATED THAT FIGHT,” McGregor tweeted. “And Umar [sic] exactly what it says on the tin, a Nurmagamedov. Runner, sprinter, bolter, scarper, scurrying ‘fighter.’”
“The Nurmagomedovs are not fighters,” he continued. “They are the most non-fighting fighters out of Dagestan and all time. Run away around the cage and shoot ass b**ches. Dagestan is better than the Nurmagomedovs and that is a FACT!”
McGregor is 1-4 over his last five fights (one of which is the submission loss to Khabib) and coming up on four years since his last bout. So if anyone is being a non-fighting fighter these days, it’s him.
We will admit, though, that “The Notorious” seems more than eager to get back in the cage or ring with somebody, anybody. The UFC, for some reason, is intent on keeping him shelved until late 2025. Will he do what he’s told and sit on the bench? Or could we finally see him try to break free using the Muhammad Ali act as he’s threatened in the past?
