Conor McGregor used the days before his UFC 329 return to reopen one of MMA’s most polarizing debates. In a Complex interview published Tuesday, McGregor labeled Khabib Nurmagomedov a fighter who “has done nothing in the sport” and possesses “no courage,” placing himself above both Khabib and Jon Jones on his all-time UFC rankings.
What Did McGregor Say About Khabib?
On July 8, McGregor sat down with Complex’s Re-Rank series to build his personal all-time UFC fighter rankings. He placed himself at number one. Khabib, the undefeated former lightweight champion who submitted McGregor in four rounds at UFC 229, landed at number nine on McGregor’s list.
McGregor’s case against Khabib was blunt. He pointed to a career that, in his view, was built on weak competition before arriving in the UFC.
“His first half of his work was fighting in his father’s shows in the middle of nowhere,” McGregor said. “He’s like 12 and 0. The opponent he’s fighting is 0 and 0.”
He also took direct aim at Nurmagomedov’s grappling-centric style, arguing it falls short of true martial artistry.
“Can’t even kick above their knee. Can’t even kick. Can’t even touch their feet. That is not martial arts.”
McGregor then addressed their UFC 229 fight directly, framing his performance as evidence of his own toughness rather than proof of Khabib’s dominance.
“He had a fight against me coming off of I was off the yacht. I was doing bad things on a yacht. I hadn’t fought in two years. I did four rounds with him. This guy’s nothing.”
His conclusion on Nurmagomedov was pointed: “The man has no courage. The man has succumbed to his pain, and it is a damn shame.”
Does McGregor Have a Point About Khabib’s Legacy?
McGregor’s revisionism is nothing new, but it lands differently now. He is stepping back into the octagon for the first time in five years. Khabib retired in October 2020 at 29-0, vacating the lightweight title after the death of his father, and has never returned. The argument that his record does not hold up under scrutiny circulates in certain corners of MMA regardless of McGregor’s motivations for raising it this week.
On the merits, McGregor’s claims have real problems. Khabib finished him cleanly in Round 4 at UFC 229, and McGregor was never close to turning the fight around. His “off the yacht” framing is a stretch: McGregor had a full training camp and showed up in credible shape. Nurmagomedov’s UFC resume also includes title victories over Dustin Poirier, Al Iaquinta, and McGregor himself, along with a dominant run through Al Iaquinta and Edson Barboza before any of those title fights materialized.
McGregor’s GOAT rankings also placed himself above Georges St-Pierre, Anderson Silva, and Demetrious Johnson, three fighters with title defenses in the double digits. The logic at work is built on commercial footprint and cultural crossover rather than in-cage record, a distinction McGregor never makes explicit.
On Jon Jones, McGregor kept the shots coming: “Jon looks very soft there. Where’s he now? Here I am still. None of these boys, including Jon, are on my level. He’s got eight knockouts, I’ve got 19.”
Khabib had not responded publicly to McGregor’s Complex interview as of publication. The two have exchanged barbs on social media in the past, and the timing before a massive pay-per-view event guarantees the clip will keep circulating regardless of whether Nurmagomedov engages.
What’s Next for McGregor?
Saturday answers all of it. McGregor meets Max Holloway at UFC 329 in Las Vegas on July 11, nearly five years removed from his last octagon walk. A convincing win against a former two-time featherweight champion who has gone 8-1 since their first meeting in 2013 would carry genuine weight. A loss puts the GOAT conversation to rest on its own terms, no ranking exercise required.
The McGregor-Khabib rivalry was settled in the cage in 2018: 0-1. McGregor has never let it stay settled off it. Whether that is habit, calculated distraction, or actual belief heading into this week is something only he knows. What is certain is that Khabib’s name guarantees attention, and McGregor knows that better than anyone.
Watch McGregor’s full behind-the-scenes Khabib callout below:
What do you make of McGregor’s all-time UFC rankings? Share your take in the comments.
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