5 times Conor McGregor antagonized someone he had no chance against in a real fight

Former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor

Conor McGregor is called 'The Notorious' for a reason. The smack-talking Irishman has an unhealthy habit of stirring the pot and targeting fellow fighters seemingly out of nowhere.

But what makes McGregor so endearing to fans is that he backs the talk up with action most of the time. A huge part of the Dublin native's mystique is built upon his ability to talk an endless amount of trash before pulling out the victory in the octagon.

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However, that isn't always the case. Though McGregor has proven he's not all bark and no bite, the Irishman also has a track record of going after fighters he has zero chance of defeating inside the octagon.

On that note, listed below are five instances where McGregor picked a fight with fighters he would have no chance against:

#5. Daniel Cormier vs. Conor McGregor

Daniel Cormier and Conor McGregor engaged in a war of words.

Conor McGregor usually antagonizes fighters in the same division as him. After all, the whole point of starting a rivalry is to generate interest in an upcoming fight or matchup that the UFC can realistically make happen.

But McGregor's feud against fellow ex-two-division champ Daniel Cormier is neither. So how did two fighters separated by three divisions end up finding themselves engaged in a war of words?

I understand the business fully. It’s when it’s covered solely one sided is the issue. That is not professionalism. That is moms basement. Dc hooks a tripod/camera up the box room of his house. It’s garbage. https://t.co/Vfh2D0w9pp
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) August 16, 2021

'The Notorious' Irishman instigated it over 'DC' criticising him for making tasteless comments about Khabib Nurmagomedov's late father – no surprises here. The bickering between McGregor and the former UFC heavyweight superstar began when Cormier spoke out against McGregor, who sent out a now-deleted tweet that poked fun at Nurmagomedov's tragedy.

Naturally, Cormier defended his longtime training partner and friend. The commentator called McGregor's actions "a cry for help if I've ever seen one."

The Dublin native retaliated by making fun of Cormier's weight and accusing him of showing up intoxicated at UFC events.

Knowing that engaging in a back-and-forth with McGregor was a fool's errand, Cormier decided to stand down, but not without sending a brutal parting message on Twitter. Cormier wrote:

"We can’t fight, it’s all just talk so stop! Thank you for watching! Get help. Win a fight.”