Conor McGregor trashes Khabib, claims he fought 'off the yacht'

Conor McGregor dismissed Khabib Nurmagomedov's legacy ahead of his UFC 329 comeback, claiming he was badly out of shape when they fought nearly eight years ago.

Speaking to Complex, McGregor said he was partying and dealing with legal troubles when he stepped into the cage against Nurmagomedov at UFC 229 in October 2018. "I was off the yacht. I was doing bad things on the yacht," McGregor said, per MMA Fighting. "I was partying heavily, and I was up to my eyeballs in court cases and all of this. I hadn't fought in two years. I was worth $200 million and I come back and fight this f*cking guy."

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McGregor questions Nurmagomedov's UFC resume

McGregor went further, downplaying Nurmagomedov's 29-0 record by arguing the Russian only fought three elite opponents during his UFC run. He pointed to his own performance in their bout, lasting into the fourth round before the rear-naked choke finish despite a broken toe revealed in a recent Netflix documentary. "I done four rounds with him. I had a broken toe," McGregor said. "This guy's nothing."

The Irishman also criticized Nurmagomedov for retiring in 2020 after beating Justin Gaethje, calling it a lack of courage. Nurmagomedov stepped away following a promise to his mother after his father Abdulmanap died earlier that year. He now coaches Islam Makhachev and other top contenders. McGregor took issue with Nurmagomedov's early record as well, suggesting many of his wins came against inexperienced fighters before joining the UFC in 2012.

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McGregor faces Max Holloway at UFC 329 on Saturday.

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• MMA Fighting — Conor McGregor trashes Khabib Nurmagomedov, claims he fought rival after ‘doing bad things on the yacht’