McGregor Accuses Nurmagomedov of NFT Scam on Father's Legacy

Conor McGregor, the former UFC two-division champion, reignited his long-standing feud with retired fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov on November 26, 2025, by publicly accusing him of exploiting his late father's legacy and Dagestani culture to sell digital collectibles tied to the traditional papakha hat. The online exchange erupted after Nurmagomedov promoted the NFTs on Telegram, only to remove the related posts shortly after sales concluded, prompting widespread criticism from fans and McGregor.

Nurmagomedov, who retired undefeated in 2020 with a 29-0 record, launched the digital papakha project on November 23, 2025, as a way to share a cultural symbol he popularized during his UFC career. The papakha, a traditional sheepskin hat from the Caucasus region, gained global recognition through Nurmagomedov's ring walks and post-fight appearances. In his promotional posts on X, Nurmagomedov described the initiative as passing down a family heirloom, announcing that eight buyers of the Telegram-based digital gifts would receive signed physical papakhas. Participants were required to subscribe to his Telegram channel, repost the promotion, and submit proof of bidding.