Throwback: When Conor McGregor got into scuffle with "little Vanilla Ice white rapper" Machine Gun Kelly
Over the years, Conor McGregor has been involved in a fair share of altercations outside professional combat sports competitions. Renowned for his outspokenness and refusal to back down from confrontations, the Irishman once scuffled with American hip-hop personality Machine Gun Kelly (real name: Colson Baker).
McGregor and his fiance, Dee Devlin, attended the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, USA, on Sept. 12, 2021. On the red carpet, 'The Notorious' encountered longtime friend, Hollywood actress Megan Fox. Besides, Fox's partner, Machine Gun Kelly, was with her.
A verbal altercation ensued between McGregor and 'MGK,' and the UFC megastar attempted to punch the rapper. He also threw a drink in Kelly's direction.
Thankfully, a potentially full-blown physical altercation was prevented, as security personnel swiftly intervened, separating McGregor and Kelly. 'MGK' was asked about the incident but refrained from discussing it.
Watch Kelly's refusal to address the incident below:
Meanwhile, Conor McGregor subsequently spoke to Entertainment Tonight and jibed at Kelly. As reported by ESPN (quotes courtesy of ET), the former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion implied that he didn't even know who 'MGK' was.
Moreover, McGregor asserted that he had no interest in fighting Kelly. Noting that he knew him only because he was with Megan Fox, 'The Notorious' said:
"I only fight real fighters, people that actually fight. I certainly don't fight little Vanilla Ice white rappers. I don't even know the guy, don't know anything about him except that he's with Megan Fox."
A wide variety of speculations abounded in regard to what caused the altercation. Rumors were rife that McGregor asked for a picture with 'MGK.' The rapper turned him down, which irked the Irishman. However, McGregor's spokesperson Karen Kessler told ESPN that he hadn't asked anyone for a picture and didn't cause the altercation.
Moreover, Extra claimed that McGregor allegedly sent inappropriate DMs to Fox, which caused the incident with 'MGK.' Nevertheless, the veracity of those alleged DMs was questioned.
Speaking to Adam Glyn of Adam’s Apple in New York, McGregor insinuated that he had "no beef" with 'MGK.' He further emphasized that the rapper and Megan Fox are welcome to continue attending his fights.
When Conor McGregor reignited his rivalry with Machine Gun Kelly
In 2023, a couple of years after his tussle with Machine Gun Kelly, Conor McGregor appeared to rekindle their feud.
In response to a video of Kelly skateboarding, McGregor posted (and later deleted) a tweet. The Irishman's tweet against 'MGK' read as follows:
"Watch out guys, we got a bada** over here." (via Mirror.co.uk)
Furthermore, welcoming the New Year (2024), Conor McGregor announced that his long-awaited UFC comeback would witness him fight Michael Chandler at middleweight on June 29, 2024.
However, UFC CEO Dana White recently revealed that McGregor's return is unlikely to transpire until this fall (September/October/November 2024).