Former UFC champion Conor McGregor marked his return to the ring with a rant against opponent Khabib Nurmagomedov, calling him a ‘coward’ in a furious tirade on Thursday.
McGregor faces Nurmagomedov in his return to the UFC octagon for the first time in two years. They will fight each other on October 6 in Las Vegas.
“I came back for the love of this, to come and shut this man up – a little rat, a little weasel, a little hard man in groups,” McGregor was quoted as saying by Skysports, when asked on his decision to return.
“A man who grows in numbers but on his own and when confronted in a similar situation, cowers away.”
Earlier, Nurmagomedov in a jibe at McGregor had called himself as the “Floyd Mayweather of MMA.”
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Incidentally, McGregor was defeated by former five-weight world champion Mayweather in what was, the world’s most-watched bout. The Irishman had however earned more than £450m from the fight.
“I don’t have to fight for money no more, I have made so much,” said McGregor. “Don’t get me wrong, I could have retired from the boxing.
“I am set for life, I don’t have to be here. I am here to enjoy this. I am going to love putting you out of your misery and stomping on your head.”
Nurmagomedov is the current lightweight champion, a title that was snatched from McGregor due to inactivity and the bus incident.
Irishman McGregor was sentenced to five days of community service in the US in July after he pleaded guilty to an indisciplinary conduct. He had hurled a metal dolly at a bus in which Nurmagomedov was sitting.
“I just thank the Lord Jesus Christ that that man had not got the balls to step foot off that bus, or that the bus door did not open, because if that bus door had opened, this man would be dead right now.
“He would be in a box and I would be in a cell and we would not have this great fight ahead of us.”
McGregor came without any weapons, he said. “Did you not see me outside the bus? I showed you my hands – no weapons. To let him know I came unarmed. Step off the bus. You talked about the big game, now I’m here.”
But Nurmagomedov did nothing alleged the former double heavyweight champion. “He sat and hid and cowered behind women and caused what happened to happen.”