“It’s just like Dustin said, ‘This guy is a bag of s**t’.”
Khabib Nurmagomedov feels Conor McGregor’s UFC 264 loss to Dustin Poirier, and his antics after the fight was stopped, only go to show what he has long claimed about ‘The Notorious’.
Having initially been on friendly terms, and praised each other in press conferences, the relationship between McGregor and Nurmagomedov soured as they neared their October 2018 title clash at UFC 229.
The situation got so bad that there were police charges brought against McGregor for attacking a bus that was carrying Nurmagomedov, and both fighters were suspended for taking place in a full-blown melee after the Dagestani had defeated the Dubliner in The Octagon.
Nurmagomedov has since retired from the fight game and relinquished his UFC lightweight belt. He is now helping coach a raft of top fighters and prospects, and was tuned in for UFC 264 at the weekend.
Brett Okamoto of ESPN caught up with ‘The Eagle’ to get his take on McGregor and the doctor’s stoppage loss to Poirier [his second defeat in the space of six months].
“Money and fame show who you are,” he said
“All the time we hear that money and fame change people. No. When money and fame come, these two things show who you are. And what has he done? He punched an old guy [in a bar in 2019].
“You guys can watch everything he did and understand, it’s just like Dustin said, ‘This guy is a bag of s**t.’“
Nurmagomedov can not understand how McGregor still garners so much support and backing when he got far too personal with Poirier before the fight, then threatened to kill him after the defeat, and insulted his wife. He believes it is setting a terrible example to young people.
“If the MMA community is going to support this bad people,” he added, “this sport is going to go in a bad way.”
Asked if McGregor could ever reach the heights he did in 2015 and 2016, when he won the featherweight and lightweight belts, the 29-0 retired champion was not so sure.
“Without broken legs, yes. But with broken legs, he’s never going to kick the same. With him, no, I don’t believe. Conor have good age [32], but what happened with his mind, legs; this guy is finished, but he’s good for promotion.”
Speaking of promotion, while the likes of Ronda Rousey have praised McGregor for doing his damnedest to pitch and sell a fourth Poirier fight, it may be a while before that happens. UFC president Dana White is open to it, but after Poirier takes on current lightweight champion Charles Oliveira.
Poirier himself has told McGregor to go off and get ‘one or two’ wins before he entertains the prospect of another money-spinning bout. There was also another promo cut, ahead of Saturday night’s fight. It was with an old foe that could well be McGregor’s next opponent.
After the Friday morning weigh-ins, McGregor and former lightweight champion Rafael Dos Anjos had to be separated back-stage. McGregor mocked the Brazilian, who he was supposed to fight back in March 2016, for pulling out due to a foot injury.
“You bottled it, mate,” McGregor roared. “You bottled it with sore f***ing toe! Don’t ever forget it, you little rat!”
After his loss to Poirier, Dos Anjos recalled when McGregor referred to his injury as a ‘bruised foot’ and posted that with a picture of his leg in a splint. He followed that up with this:
When I BROKE my foot before our fight this guy made fun of my injury…and continued to do so for years. Taste your own medicine and humble up. https://t.co/wRuBPlrzkt
— Rafael dos Anjos (@RdosAnjosMMA) July 11, 2021
Dos Anjos, who is back in the lightweight division after trying his luck at welterweight for a couple of years, says he would be happy to finally step inside the cage with McGregor.
McGregor’s next opponent is unlikely to be Poirier so either a fight against Nate Diaz, to close out their trilogy, or Dos Anjos makes the most sense right now.
