McGregor dismisses Gaethje as a 'bum' and targets triple crown ahead of UFC 329 return

Conor McGregor arrived at UFC 329 media day on Wednesday with a sharp message for Justin Gaethje: get in line, and don’t forget who put you “face down, ass up.” The Irishman, returning from a five-year absence to face Max Holloway in their rematch on Saturday, dismissed the new undisputed lightweight champion’s interest in a future matchup before he has even thrown a punch in his comeback.

Gaethje, who claimed the lightweight title by finishing Ilia Topuria at UFC White House, had made no secret of his desire to share the octagon with McGregor, telling media he would be ringside on Saturday and that he “would love to punch Conor McGregor in the face.” McGregor was unmoved.

“Join the queue,” McGregor said. “There’s a few [calling for that]. Look, he has the lightweight belt, fair play to him. Holloway put him face down, ass up [at UFC 300], though. Badly. Badly face down. So I’m not even thinking of it at this time. Less with the disrespect, you f*cking bum.”

McGregor also left open the question of whether he would even return to lightweight, hinting instead at a grander ambition. “I fancy the triple crown,” he said — a reference to adding a third divisional title to the featherweight and lightweight belts he held simultaneously, making him the UFC’s first ever two-division champion.

Before any of that can happen, McGregor must first navigate Saturday’s rematch with Holloway while shaking off a five-year ring rust and the physical toll of the broken leg he suffered in his last fight in July 2021. He acknowledged the doubts surrounding his comeback but framed them as fuel.

“Nothing better than proving people wrong,” McGregor said. “People are entitled to their opinion. Some are valid. There’s some questions. Time out. Injury. Lifestyle. I know. There you go. Let’s go. We’re going to go in Saturday night and shut them all up again.”

At his peak, McGregor was the biggest pay-per-view draw in combat sports history and a genuine disruptor of the MMA business model. A decade has passed since he held two titles at once, but he insists the appetite — and the ability — remain intact.

“Shake up the game,” he said. “Shake up the business for sure. Prove myself. To myself, I am who I say I am.”