MCGREGOR SPARKS CONTROVERSY WITH KHABIB REMARKS – ‘SHOW YOUR WIFE, FIGHT ME’

Conor McGregor has made some controversial comments about Khabib Nurmagomedov as their feud continues. 

The pair are not on the best of terms, which was summed up when they faced off at UFC 299. The build-up was marred by a lot of controversy. McGregor threw a chair at the team bus during the build-up. The Irishman was then alleged to have disrespected Khabib’s religion during the press conference. Khabib ultimately got his revenge when he submitted McGregor in the fourth round. But a brawl broke out in the aftermath as Khabib jumped over the Octagon. Since then, they have continued to fire verbal shots at each other on social media.

It most recently came to a head after Usman Nurmagomedov beat another Irishman, Paul Hughes. Hughes lost a controversial decision, with many feeling Hughes had done enough. Hughes is known for being a McGregor fan. But during his post-fight comments, Hughes embraced Khabib. He could be heard saying he is not like McGregor but his own man. Khabib also paid his respect to Hughes, suggesting that he was unlike Conor. The Notorious then reacted by alleging that Hughes is not Irish. Now, McGregor has crossed the line by slamming Nurmagomedov.

McGregor’s Outburst

“15 minutes I done aldo 15 seconds. Show your wife. Show yo kids. Cousin hidin. Show us you and your cousins kids together because we have kids here in Ireland that wanna smoke them in competition. Are they competing or what are you saying Ireland vs Dagestan? Where’s your offspring, we can’t wait to see them . The best of Dagestan offspring? Dagestan, what do we think?

“Is this true ? Who’s next cos fatso with the coach whistle won’t fight. Who the [hell] designated this fat [man] as master father? Certainly not his own father. Abdulmanap. And they all know it in Dagestan. Dagestan think you arelips for retiring. Real Dagestan is forever. You are laughed at behind your back in Dagestan. Lazy you are, they say. Fight me and make a 100 million dollars and give it to the entire village of Dagestan! But you won’t, why? Fat lazy scared,” McGregor said   

McGregor’s Mindset

McGregor’s comments show that he is still struggling to deal with the loss. His form was never the same after losing three out of his last four UFC fights. His last bout was in 2021, when he came out second best to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in 2021. McGregor also broke his leg, which has kept him out since then. He was meant to fight Michael Chandler at UFC 303 on June 29.

But the fight never went ahead after McGregor withdrew with a broken toe. His next fight has since then not become any clearer. He was linked with a boxing exhibition against Logan Paul. Reports indicated that it could have earned each fighter $250 million. But that does not look like it will get made, while McGregor’s plans to fight in BKFC have also not gained any traction.

- boxingnews.com

SEAN O'MALLEY RETAINS BANTAMWEIGHT BELT WITH UNANIMOUS DECISION OVER MARLON VERA IN UFC 299

AP Photo 

 MIAMI (AP) — Sean O'Malley emphatically defended his bantamweight belt Saturday night, unanimously outpointing Marlon “Chito” Vera in UFC 299.

In a fight that he controlled from the opening round, O'Malley (18-1) outclassed Vera with his quickness, precision striking and footwork.

The champion threw 344 punches, landing more than 50% of them. He was the more active fighter throughout, hurting Vera (23-9-1) with shots to the body, knees to the face, and countering nearly every one of Vera's connections with one of his own.

It was O’Malley’s first defense of his bantamweight title after stopping former champion Aljamain Sterling 51 seconds into the second round at UFC 292 last August.

UFC CEO Dana White called the performance a “clinic" by O'Malley, who is fast becoming one of the biggest stars in the sport. White added that the card was the fourth-highest grossing UFC event ever, with a gate of $14.14 million.

“He's on his way,” White said of O'Malley, who some believe has star power of Conor McGregor. “He's the biggest star ever in bantamweight history. You can say that right now.”

Vera handed O'Malley the only defeat of his career nearly four years ago by landing a leg kick that caused O'Malley's right foot to go numb in the first round of UFC 252.

O'Malley has often downplayed that loss — the kick shut down the peroneal nerve in his lower leg, causing temporary loss of feeling — and vowed to dominate in the rematch.

"That one feels good getting that one back," O'Malley said. "I’m guessing we can all agree that I’m undefeated still.”

He added that he wants to fight featherweight champion Ilia Topuria next.

“Dana,” he said, “Give me a jet to Spain, baby.”

Immediately after the five-round fight, O'Malley sat down on the canvas after Vera hurt him late with a shot to the body — one that could have been much more significant if it was landed earlier in the match.

“I tried to stay toe to toe with him and catch him," said Vera, the Ecuadorian fighter who received a massive amount of cheers from the fans at Kaseya Center.. "At the end of the fifth round I landed a nice body that hurt him, but I ran out of time.”

Former interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier knocked out up-and-comer Benoit Saint Denis with a right hand in the second round of their lightweight match. Saint Denis had hurt Poirier with punches in the early round before the veteran dropped him with a right hook at 2:52 in the second round. The victory moved Poirier into a tie for the fourth-most wins in UFC history with 22.

Jack Della Maddalena stretched his winning streak to 17 with the biggest victory of his career. He stopped Gilbert Burns in the third round of their bout with a crushing knee to the head, moments after it appeared Burns had secured a fight-clinching takedown. Della Maddalena followed the knee with a series of elbows on the ground for a TKO victory at 3:43 in the final round of the 170-pound fight.

- ALANIS THAMES