The Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov rivalry is one of the most iconic rivalries in MMA history. The undefeated former UFC champion made headlines with a startling confession about his emotions during the infamous 2018 fight against Conor McGregor at UFC 229. Here is what happened:
Khabib Nurmagomedov recently sat down for a conversation on the Inspire Me Podcast. During their discussion, the Dagestani revealed that after dominating and submitting McGregor in the fourth round, he was overwhelmed by such intense emotions that he felt a primal urge to “bite someone’s heart”.
It was a very emotional time, but at the same time, it was my feeling – I really wanted to bite someone’s heart. Do you have that feeling in your life? I just tried to bite his heart.
Khabib Nurmagomedov on the Inspire Me Podcast
This vivid expression was not just an exaggerated statement. Khabib likened himself to a hungry eagle, stating that he needed to go beyond merely winning the fight. He explained that the intense buildup to the fight, which included McGregor’s derogatory comments about Khabib’s family and faith, pushed him to a psychological breaking point where the fight became more than just a sport—it felt like a life-or-death struggle.
The post-fight chaos, where Khabib leaped over the octagon to confront McGregor’s team, was fueled by this same raw emotion. He admitted that even after McGregor tapped out, he felt something was missing, almost as if the victory was incomplete. This drove him to escalate the confrontation outside the ring.
Khabib Nurmagomedov reveals the only way Tony Ferguson could have beat him in the octagon
Khabib Nurmagomedov recently opened up about his long-anticipated but never-realized fight against Tony Ferguson. The UFC icon expressed his disappointment that the fight never took place. The bout was canceled five times due to various issues, including injuries and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tony Ferguson vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov (via X)
This led many to dub it a “cursed” matchup. During the interview on the Inspire Me Podcast, Khabib admitted that he believed Ferguson’s only real chance to beat him would have been through a “lucky punch”.
He doesn’t have wrestling, he doesn’t have grappling, what was he going to do with me? How was he gonna stop me? The only chance he had to stop me was with a lucky punch, like with everybody.
Khabib Nurmagomedov on the Inspire Me Podcast
He explained that his own grappling-heavy style would have been very difficult for Ferguson to counter. That would hypothetically make it unlikely that Ferguson could have won under normal circumstances. Despite this, Khabib did express some sadness over the missed opportunity to test himself against Ferguson. He acknowledged the massive fan interest in what many considered a dream fight.
!
