Latest news with #TheNotorious'
Scottish Sun
7 days ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
‘Change himself' – Conor McGregor sent message by bitter rival Khabib Nurmagomedov – but UFC legend won't even name him
McGregor has yet to respond to his old rival's shock comments KHAB CALL 'Change himself' – Conor McGregor sent message by bitter rival Khabib Nurmagomedov – but UFC legend won't even name him Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) KHABIB NURMAGOMEDOV has put aside his near decade-old feud with Conor McGregor to wish his former rival well for the future. Nurmagomedov and McGregor, 36 and 37, respectively, took part in the biggest grudge match and PPV fight in UFC history back in October 2018. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up Khabib speaks about Conor McGregor: 'Allah always give us chance to come back… doesn't matter how you bad... I think he have chance, and he have to change the way how he's living. If he gonna change, he can change with him so many other lives too. That's why I wish him to… — Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) August 3, 2025 6 Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov took part in the biggest fight in UFC 229 in October 2018 Credit: GETTY 6 Nurmagomedov won the grudge match via fourth-round submission Credit: SPORTSFILE 6 McGregor has found himself embroiled in several legal issues since the fight Credit: GETTY 6 Nurmagomedov has put aside their rivalry to wish his former foe well Credit: GETTY The blood feud didn't end when 'The Notorious' was submitted in the fourth round of their UFC 229 showdown in Las Vegas. McGregor has fired several shots the Russian's way over the years and has often accused him of running away from a rematch with his retirement. Nurmagomedov has seldom spoken about his old rival but is aware of all the legal troubles he's had in recent years. And the Dagestani recently revealed he hopes McGregor can get on the straight and narrow, albeit without mentioning his name. During a recent Q&A event in New York, Nurmagomedov said: "'I don't wanna mention his name. 'This is punishment… The most beautiful part of this is Allah always give the chance to come back. 'We always have in this world the chance to come back, and this is the most beautiful thing. 'It doesn't matter how you've been, Allah is gonna give you a chance always to come back. I think he has a chance." SUN VEGAS WELCOME OFFER: GET £50 BONUS WHEN YOU JOIN 6 Nurmagomedov believes McGregor turning his life around would be a story which could inspire people across the globe. The former undefeated and long-reigning lightweight champion said: "He has to change how he is living. Conor McGregor shows off shadow boxing after hinting at UFC return 'Why am I talking about this? If he's gonna change, he can change with him so many other lives too. 'That's why I wish him to change himself. If he's not gonna change, it will be punishment all his life.' McGregor has only fought three times since losing the biggest fight in UFC history. The Irishman got back in the win column against Donald Cerrone in January 2020 before suffering back-to-back stoppage losses to Dustin Poirier the following year. 6 Conor McGregor hasn't set foot inside the octagon since breaking his left leg four years ago Credit: REUTERS McGregor hasn't set foot inside the octagon since breaking his leg in his trilogy fight with Poirier four years ago as injury scuppered his comeback clash with Michael Chandler last July. The UFC's first simultaneous two-weight world champion is hellbent on returning to the octagon and recently re-entered the promotion's testing pool. If McGregor fights again, his next outing will be his first since he was found civilly liable for having assaulted Nikita Hand at a Dublin hotel in December 2018. McGregor appealed the verdict turned in at Dublin's High Court but lost his bid to overturn the civil verdict late last month.
USA Today
01-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Chael Sonnen: 'Ass-whooping' would await Conor McGregor in UFC comeback fight
Chael Sonnen doesn't see the point in UFC star Conor McGregor fighting again. More questions arose about McGregor's fighting future after the former UFC dual champion admitted that his focus is currently on politics, where he plans on running for Irish presidency. McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) hasn't competed since breaking his leg in a TKO loss to Dustin Poirier in July 2021, and Sonnen warned that a comeback likely won't go well for him. In fact, he doesn't see a single ideal matchup for 'The Notorious' to return to. 'What part of it would he come back for? We're told by him that he doesn't need the money. We can see that his time is occupied,' Sonnen said on 'Good Guy/Bad Guy' with Daniel Cormier. 'I mean, a lot of fighters got to cling to the sport because they have nothing else to do. He's got a beating standing in front of him. We can go '55, we can go '70, we can make up a weight class, there is not an athlete under contract with the Ultimate Fighting Championship located in Southern Nevada that he can beat. 'I don't even mean that to be a jerk. When they bring him back, they put him in a main event, and all of a sudden you're asking him to do five rounds. We've got a guy who can't breathe for a full round. This is just a reality. There's nothing to come back for. The golden rule of life my mother would tell me when I was a little boy: 'Put yourself in their shoes. What would you do?' And there's no reason to come back. There's an ass-whooping waiting for you, apparently life is good without it. He can still make headlines without it.' McGregor was slated to fight Michael Chandler at UFC 303 last June but withdrew after breaking his pinky toe. He has not been booked for a fight since.
USA Today
19-03-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Daniel Cormier hopes for better ending to Conor McGregor's UFC career
If Conor McGregor never fights again, Daniel Cormier thinks his lasting UFC memory is an unfortunate one. It's been almost four years since McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) last fought when he broke his leg in a TKO loss to Dustin Poirier in July 2021. McGregor has planned his return on numerous occasions and was even booked to fight Michael Chandler last June at UFC 303 before withdrawing due to a broken pinky toe. There has been no word on McGregor fighting since then, which has many speculating if he'll ever return. If 'The Notorious' is indeed done, Cormier says his final moment in the octagon could overshadow the remarkable career that shot him to superstardom. 'For me, it's kind of sad because of this: It's like, when a guy comes, and he's that successful, and he's that good, you hope that the last time you see him in the octagon is him fighting – even if it's him losing,' Cormier said on his 'Funky and the Champ' show with Ben Askren. 'You don't want the last memory is him sitting in the octagon with a broken leg, yelling at Dustin Poirier's wife. It was the craziest vision I've ever seen. It felt like when he got here, everything was fresh, new, and it felt genuine. Then he went to nice Conor when him and Dustin fought in Abu Dhabi. Nice Conor was more preposterous than him doing what he did after the fight with Dustin the (third) time. 'Because he was holding Dustin's liquor, they were hugging each other. It was the most odd thing I'd ever seen because that was not what we had come to expect from Conor McGregor. He gets beat by Dustin Poirier, then he goes all the way back to the other guy, but even more to the right. He was more loud, he was more obnoxious, he was nasty, talking about Dustin's wife and all these things. He was more nasty, so even that felt forced. Then when he broke his leg, he was sitting on the ground yelling and screaming. It was almost like he was a rich guy who didn't get his way, and there is nothing he could do about it, and he was acting out because of it. That's like a sad visual for me after all that he became to the sport of mixed martial arts.' McGregor has kept busy outside of the octagon as part owner of BKFC and most recently diving into Irish politics. The former UFC two-division met with with President Donald Trump at the White House on St. Patrick's Day 'to raise the issues the people of Ireland face.'
USA Today
13-02-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Paul Hughes doesn't recognize the Conor McGregor who lashed out, doubts they mend fences
Paul Hughes doesn't expect to reconcile with Conor McGregor anytime soon. Like many Irish fighters, Hughes looked up to the former UFC two-division champion. Up until his title fight against Bellator lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov at PFL Champions Series: Road to Dubai last month, Hughes had McGregor's support. Hughes lost a close decision to Nurmagomedov, which McGregor called a robbery. But after Hughes paid his respects to the Nurmagomedov team by saying, 'I'm not like that other guy,' in reference to McGregor's hatred towards Khabib Nurmagomedov, 'The Notorious' went off on him. 'Everyone's seen my response to it; it wasn't a very militant response,' Hughes told MMA Junkie Radio. 'It was what it was. It ended up a lot of people done the fighting for me in terms of the comments and the pushback. So yeah, it was what it was.' Seeing your idol insult you is never a good feeling, but Hughes insists McGregor is a changed man – for the worse. 'Even at the time, I did not take it personal,' Hughes added. 'I think unfortunately it's not the Conor we once knew in, say, 2016. People were saying, 'Is it sad to hear that from you idol or someone you looked up to?' Unfortunately, that's not the person that tweeted that message. It's of course not something I wish on anybody. I kind of think it's a sad thing, but that's just what it is.' With McGregor claiming that Northern Ireland is not a part of Ireland, Hughes can't take a personal attack on his background lightly. 'Right now, I would say no,' Hughes said. 'Because of not me personally – I can make up with anybody – but more so because of where I come from and how deeply insulting it was, the thing that he said to the people. Where I come from, it's probably the worst and most disrespectful thing you could say to someone is that they are not Irish, being from the north of Ireland that I am. On that behalf, it wouldn't be mendable right now.'
