Khabib Nurmagomedov claims Conor McGregor looks like a "scared chicken" when fighting "stronger opponents"
The deep-seated animosity between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor continues to boil over.
At a recently concluded press conference held in Moscow, Russia, Nurmagomedov mocked his arch-rival while explaining why former UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo is no longer in his prime.
When a reporter suggested that Aldo may be witnessing a career resurgence with his impressive win over Pedro Munhoz at UFC 265, Nurmagomedov said one win against a decent opponent doesn't mean that a fighter is performing at his peak.
To prove his point, the Dagestani used Conor McGregor's example, who Nurmagomedov claims looked like a "lion" when fighting Donald Cerrone, but ended up being a "scared chicken" against tougher opponents.
"He (Jose Aldo) got beat up when he fought Petr, right? A guy wins one fight and everyone starts talking. When Conor (McGregor) fought Cowboy (Donald Cerrone), he looked like a lion. When he fights stronger opponents, he looks like a scared chicken. Fighting top fighters shows your worth... A fight against ‘Cowboy’ won’t show what level you’re at, just like Aldo’s fight against Pedro Munhoz. Let him fight Petr the same way," said Nurmagomedov (transcription courtesy: RT Sport MMA)
Conor McGregor fought Donald Cerrone in January 2020 at UFC 246. Returning to the octagon after a 15-month hiatus, 'The Notorious' made quick work of "Cowboy," finishing him in 40 seconds of the first round.
Since then, the Irishman has gone on to lose back-to-back fights against Dustin Poirier, at UFC 257 and UFC 264, respectively.
"A person can die from a grip like that" - Khabib Nurmagomedov on what could have happened if there was no referee in his fight with Conor McGregor
Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov collided in arguably the biggest fight in the promotion's history at UFC 229. In the fourth round of their clash, 'The Eagle' gained a tight grip around McGregor's neck which forced the Irishman to tap.
According to Nurmagomedov, there could have been disastrous consequences if referee Herb Dean wasn't present inside the octagon to stop the fight.
"You saw what happened on October 6th. Remove Herb Dean and you will understand what would've happened. A person can die from a grip like that. If you want to, I can choke you behind the curtain and you'll see what would've happened," said Nurmagomedov at the same press conference (transcription courtesy: RT Sport MMA).
Watch Nurmagomedov's comments about Conor McGregor in the video below: