As far as heated rivalries go in MMA, there are perhaps none more infamous than that which unfolded between ‘The Notorious’ Conor McGregor and Khabib ‘The Eagle’ Nurmagomedov.
The two former champions had been embroiled in a hate-fuelled conflict for a considerable period of time before finally settling the scores at UFC 229. Incidents such as the much maligned bus attack following a UFC 223 press event set sparks flying between the two ahead of the title fight that would follow in October 2018. What transpired was a four round affair that saw the Dagestani clinch victory via rear naked choke, having looked dominant and being visibly the aggressor for significant periods.
Such was the anticipation for the showdown between the two that UFC 229 became the highest grossing PPV event in the company’s history; a record that is yet to be broken in the 6 years since.
Khabib Nurmagoemdov Reflects on Violent Sentiment Towards McGregor
In a recent interview with Red Corner MMA, Khabib Nurmagomedov has revealed that there was nothing superficial about his aggressive disposition towards ‘The Notorious‘. When asked about the moment that saw him defeat the Irishman, Khabib stated:
“Would I have let go? No, I wouldn’t have,” he said in an interview with Red Corner MMA. “It’s that moment when your emotional state reaches its peak, touching the ceiling. He and I knew what we were going for. It’s not like when you meet someone on the street and start choking him. He is one of the best fighters in the world.
“We were appointed to fight in half a year; we go out and find out who is the best. Would I kill him? I don’t think I would kill him but to the point of passing out, yes. Would I have controlled myself? We’ll never know. How long I would have choked him is a good question. I don’t know.”
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Many will find this sentiment relatively easy to believe, given the emotional reaction that followed ‘The Eagle’ clinching victory over the former Double Champ. The pair have never reconciled their differences, despite all questions being answered inside the Octagon.
As recently as January this year, ‘The Notorious’ has been vocal with his criticism of the Nurmagomedov legacy, with claims of PED usage being rife among the family. McGregor took to X in a stab at ‘The Eagle’s cousin, Umar Nurmagomedov, claiming that the 28 year old bantamweight was the fourth of the family to be cited for alleged use of performance enhancing drugs.
UFC 229: Aftermath
Many within the world of MMA view UFC 229 as the beginning of the end for the once two division champion McGregor. New endavours outside of the cage such as Proper Twelve Irish Whiskey and a new venture into acting are now seemingly taking precedent for McGregor. With just one win over Donald Cerrone and a string of losses to Dustin Poirier to his name since 2018, it seems The Notorious’ best days inside the Octagon may well be behind him.
Nurmagomedov, on the other hand, has seen his stock rise both by his own virtue, as well as the legacy of his family. His storied career came to an end at 29-0 with one final defence of his title against Justin Gaethje in October 2020. The Nurmagomedov family currently boasts two active fighters inside the UFC in Umar and Abubakar respectively. Current lightweight king Islam Makhachev flourished under the tutilage of Khabib’s late father, Abdulmanap, adding further prowess to the fighting family’s infamy.
