Conor McGregor has launched a fresh verbal assault on his long-time rival, Khabib Nurmagomedov, just days before his own return to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) octagon. The controversial Irish fighter, who is scheduled to face Max Holloway this Saturday, 19 July 2026, dismissed Nurmagomedov's achievements in mixed martial arts, despite the Russian's undefeated record and a submission victory over McGregor in 2018.
McGregor's comments, made to Complex, questioned Nurmagomedov's legacy, stating, 'the guy's done nothing in the sport.' He highlighted Nurmagomedov's relatively short UFC career of 13 fights, with what McGregor claimed were only three against 'named opponents'. The Irishman also alluded to his own circumstances leading up to their 2018 clash, suggesting he was distracted by personal issues and court cases, and was fighting with a broken toe. Nurmagomedov retired from the sport in 2020 at the age of 32, following the death of his father and coach, a decision McGregor has now described as lacking 'courage'.
The upcoming bout against Max Holloway at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas marks McGregor's first fight in five years. His last appearance in 2021 ended in a loss to Dustin Poirier, where he sustained a broken leg. The 37-year-old's return also follows a period of significant personal and professional challenges. In 2024, a civil jury found him to have raped a woman in Dublin in 2018, a verdict he denies and appealed unsuccessfully. Furthermore, McGregor received an 18-month ban for three drug-test whereabouts failures in 2024, which was backdated to September 2024, making him eligible to compete again in March 2026.
This Saturday's fight will see McGregor compete at welterweight, a division above his previous lightweight and featherweight bouts. It is a rematch against Holloway, whom McGregor defeated by decision 13 years ago when Holloway was a natural featherweight. The renewed feud with Nurmagomedov adds another layer of intrigue to McGregor's highly anticipated comeback, ensuring significant media attention for the event.
Nurmagomedov's professional record includes eight knockout/technical knockout wins, 11 submissions, and 10 decisions, contradicting McGregor's assertion that he had only three or four knockouts. The historical rivalry between the two fighters reached a peak during the build-up to their 2018 encounter, which became the highest-grossing UFC fight of all time, fuelled by bitter exchanges and personal insults.