Khabib Nurmagomedov backs Paul Hughes in feud with Conor McGregor: "You are a real Irishman"
Khabib Nurmagomedov slammed his long-time rival Conor McGregor while backing Paul Hughes after both Irish fighters exchanged harsh words, escalating their feud.
Things were once cordial between Hughes and McGregor, with 'Big News' even inviting 'The Notorious' to corner him for his title fight against Usman Nurmagomedov, Khabib’s cousin.
The bout, which took place on Jan. 25, was promoted as ‘Dagestan vs Ireland 2’, a nod to the historic UFC 229 fight between Khabib and McGregor.
Hughes delivered a spectacular performance but fell short of claiming the title, losing to Usman by majority decision. However, he received widespread praise from the MMA community, including from the UFC Hall of Famer.
After the fight, Hughes had a conversation with Khabib, where he asserted that he is different from McGregor and not like him. Hughes' comments quickly spread across the internet, catching McGregor's attention. The former two-division UFC champ took a shot at Hughes, slamming him and telling 'Big News' to "take the Ireland flag off."
Hughes responded on X, clapping back at McGregor by stating that he had always respected him but was now calling him out for his remarks about Ireland, writing:
“@TheNotoriousMMA always said u were the goat, payed homage at every opportunity. But coming at my Irish identity just shows where your head is at.”
Khabib weighed in on the ongoing war of words between Hughes and McGregor by sharing an Instagram story in which he backed the Bellator title challenger.
Khabib also slammed McGregor, highlighting his sexual assault case in which he was found liable by an Irish civil court. In the story, 'The Eagle' wrote:
“You are a real Irishman @paulhughesmma. And not a rapist and drug addict like this b**tard [Conor McGregor].”
Check out a screenshot of Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Instagram story below:
![Screenshot of Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Instagram story. [Screenshot courtesy: @khabib_nurmagomedov on Instagram]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/01/8f060-17381757894267-1920.jpg?w=500)
Khabib Nurmagomedov invites Paul Hughes to visit Dagestan
Paul Hughes made Usman Nurmagomedov work for his money in their title fight. Despite the loss, Hughes received admiration for his performance.
Khabib Nurmagomedov took to X to praise 'Big News' and extended an invitation to him and his team, writing:
“Thank you for the fight @paulhughesmma and for the experience, I invite you and your whole team and family to Dagestan, any time you want, believe me you will like it and your arrival will serve as a good example for many young generations.”
Check out Khabib Nurmagomedov's X post below: