The ‘Notorious’ Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov have reignited their rivalry, which originally began after before their UFC 229 fight. Years later, the two UFC superstars are again drawing attention with their exchanges of insults. Consequently, several prominent figures in the UFC community have weighed in on the situation.
UFC legend Chael Sonnen focused on the ongoing back-and-forth feud between Khabib Nurmagomedov and several Irish MMA stars. Sonnen specifically highlighted a comment made by former UFC fighter Darren Till during this ongoing controversy. In doing so, he expressed a statement that seemed to contradict his previous views, ultimately showing support for the ‘Eagle’.
The village that Khabib lives in, there’s 2000 people, there was 7 Olympic champion. Seven of them have Olympic gold medals, that is crazy. 2000 that’s how many people I had in my high school. Khabib’s point of bragging about Dagestan, per-capita versus anywhere on earth, you might not like it, it might offend you. But there’s no way to say he’s wrong.
Chael Sonnen on his YouTube channel
The renewed feud began when Nurmagomedov commented on the lack of prominent MMA stars from Ireland. The former lightweight champion specifically pointed out that, aside from McGregor and Paul Hughes, there are no other recognizable Irish MMA talents. This statement did not sit well with Irish MMA fighters, especially since Ian Garry is also considered one of the prominent Irish MMA fighters.
In contrast, Dagestan boasts several notable MMA fighters compared to Ireland. Khabib Nurmagomedov stands out as one of the top fighters, while other prominent names include Islam Makhachev, Umar Nurmagomedov, Usman Nurmagomedov, and Magomed Ankalaev. Additionally, Dagestan has produced several Olympic champions. As a result, Sonnen comes out in support of ‘The Eagle.’
Darren Till ‘retracts’ his tweet about the ongoing fiasco between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Irish MMA
Following Khabib Nurmagomedov’s statement, several top Irish MMA fighters responded aggressively. Although Nurmagomedov acknowledged the contributions of Conor McGregor and Paul Hughes to Irish MMA, they retaliated. In particular, Hughes brought up the controversial history of Dagestani fighters regarding banned substances, such as performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs).
Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov fight (Image via Imago)As the situation escalates, several intriguing details about the ongoing conflict are emerging. Prominent figures in the UFC community are starting to retract some of their previous comments regarding the matter between Nurmagomedov and Irish MMA. One of these individuals is former UFC fighter Darren Till.
I have to retract this tweet. Khabib was talking about only Dagestan not Russia. I misread…
Darren Till via X (@darrentill2)
I have to retract this tweet. Khabib was talking about only Dagestan not Russia. I misread… https://t.co/ktDzNfYuN0
— DT (@darrentill2) January 5, 2025
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Till acknowledged his mistake in misinterpreting Nurmagomedov’s remarks about Irish MMA. While UFC legends like Sonnen generally speak highly of Dagestani MMA, others have differing opinions and also rate Irish MMA quite highly. Over the years, apart from McGregor, there have been other notable Irish MMA fighters as well.
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