McGregor dismisses Khabib as 'nothing' ahead of UFC 329 comeback against Holloway

Conor McGregor has launched a scathing attack on Khabib Nurmagomedov, dismissing the undefeated former lightweight champion as a fighter who “done nothing in the sport”, as he prepares for his long-awaited comeback against Max Holloway at UFC 329 on Saturday.

Speaking to Complex, McGregor argued that his fourth-round submission loss to Nurmagomedov in October 2018 — one of the most-watched fights in UFC history — came under circumstances that undermined the result. “I was off the yacht. I was doing bad things on the yacht. I was partying heavily, and I was up to my eyeballs in court cases,” McGregor said. “I hadn’t fought in two years. I was worth $200 million and I come back and fight this f*cking guy.”

McGregor also claimed he entered the fight with a broken toe, pointing to a Netflix documentary as evidence. “I done four rounds with him. I had a broken toe. I’m sure you seen the Netflix show where I broke my f*cking foot three weeks before the bout. This guy’s nothing.”

Nurmagomedov retired in October 2020 following a submission win over Justin Gaethje, finishing his career at a flawless 29-0 with 19 finishes overall — including submission victories over McGregor, Dustin Poirier and Gaethje in his final three bouts. He cited a promise made to his mother after the death of his father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, earlier that year.

McGregor, however, framed the retirement as a lack of courage rather than a personal tribute. “Where is he now also? He’s gone,” McGregor said. “The man has no courage. The man has succumbed to his pain, and it’s a damn shame. I don’t rate him.”

Since stepping away from competition, Nurmagomedov has built a reputation as one of the sport’s leading coaches. He works closely with pound-for-pound No. 1 Islam Makhachev as well as relatives Umar and Usman Nurmagomedov, all of whom are active UFC competitors.

McGregor also took aim at the quality of Nurmagomedov’s overall résumé, questioning the calibre of opponents he faced earlier in his career before establishing himself in the UFC in 2012. The Irishman has not competed since suffering a broken leg against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021, making Saturday’s bout against Holloway his first octagon appearance in nearly four years.