The long-standing and deeply personal feud between UFC legends Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor has exploded once again, this time over a digital merchandise sale.
The Spark: McGregor's 'Scam' Accusation
Conor McGregor returned to social media this week and directly attacked his long-time rival. The Irishman's outburst came after Khabib Nurmagomedov posted on X, formerly Twitter, over the weekend, seemingly auctioning digital versions of the papakha, the traditional Dagestani headwear he was famous for wearing.
Fans noted that the posts were later deleted, which prompted a scathing response from McGregor. The 37-year-old former dual-weight champion wrote, "There is just no way good guy Khabib used his late father's name, as well as Dagestan’s culture, to scam his fans and fire sell a bunch of digital NFT’s online and then delete all of the content after they were sold, leaving his fans robbed of their money?"
Khabib's Furious Retort
Nurmagomedov, who retired undefeated in 2020, did not take the accusation lying down. He fired back fiercely, labelling McGregor an "absolute liar" and suggesting the Irishman is still bitter from his submission loss at UFC 229 in 2018.
"You will always try to darken my name, after you got destroyed that night, but you will never achieve that!" Khabib declared. He then offered his explanation for the deleted posts, stating that the auction had simply concluded. He described the digital papakhas as "exclusive digital gifts with real time value" that celebrate the traditions of Dagestan and were sold exclusively on the Telegram platform.
In a follow-up post, the 'Eagle' confirmed, "The auction has ended and all Papakha’s been sold!" He thanked those who participated and became holders of the exclusive digital item.
McGregor's Continued Barrage and Praise for Makhachev
Merely minutes after Khabib's response, McGregor continued his verbal assault. He called the situation a "shame and a stain on his father’s name," cynically remarking, "Father’s plan has now become Father’s scam."
However, in a contrasting move, McGregor took the time to praise Khabib's protégé, Islam Makhachev. He commended Makhachev for honouring his own father after becoming a two-division UFC champion earlier this month by defeating Jack Della Maddalena. This victory saw Makhachev relinquish his lightweight title to capture the welterweight belt in New York.
This latest exchange proves that the animosity from one of the sport's most iconic rivalries remains as potent as ever, even years after their final octagon encounter.
