Conor McGregor tore into PFL star Paul Hughes during a distasteful social media tirade on Wednesday.
Hughes fell to a narrow majority decision loss to Usman Nurmagomedov over the weekend in a fight-of-the-year candidate that raised the Derry fighter’s stock tenfold.
Several members of the MMA fraternity believed Hughes – who entered the contest as a huge underdog – had done enough to win the bout, including McGregor who was incredibly complimentary of the 27-year-old’s performance in the immediate aftermath.
“Tremendous fight and performance! Easy win for Hughes, he dominated the fight,” he wrote.
“The Nurmagomedovs are not fighters.
“They are the most non-fighting fighters out of Dagestan and all time.
“Run away around the cage and shoot a** b*****.
“Dagestan is better than the Nurmagomedovs and that is a fact!”
The niceties ended when the dual-weight UFC champion caught wind of what seemed to be a reference about him from Hughes during a post-fight exchange with Usman’s cousin and mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov.
“I’m not like this other guy. I’m my own man,” Hughes told the former UFC lightweight champion who shared a bitter rivalry with McGregor during their heyday.
In response, McGregor took to X to lambast Hughes.
“Too right, you’re not,” McGregor wrote in response to Hughes’ comments, before going on to take a derogatory swipe at Hughes’ Northern Irish nationality.
Anatomy of a FighterMcGregor took exception to a post-fight exchange between Hughes and Khabib[/caption]
“Get that flag off you, you little know-what-you-are c*** from up there,” he added.
“Up the real Irish f*** these vermin f****.”
McGregor later deleted his tweets, but not before Hughes delivered a classy response.
“[McGregor], always said you were the GOAT, paid homage at every opportunity,” Hughes wrote.
“But coming at my Irish identity just shows where your head is at.”
His comments came after Hughes accepted Khabib’s invite for him to come and train over in Dagestan.
“Thank you, Khabib. I have great respect for you, your team, and your nation,” Hughes wrote.
“I would be honoured to take you up on this offer someday and then return the favour in Ireland.
“But please, only after I get to rematch Usman.”
