McGregor criticizes Khabib ahead of UFC 329 return

In a new interview, former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor launched a scathing critique of retired rival Khabib Nurmagomedov, dismissing the undefeated fighter's career achievements and legacy. McGregor made the comments during an interview with Complex, reigniting a feud that has simmered since Nurmagomedov defeated him by fourth-round submission at UFC 229 in October 2018.

McGregor was asked to compare the legacies of Georges St-Pierre and Nurmagomedov. He rejected the comparison outright, arguing that Nurmagomedov had "done nothing in the sport." McGregor pointed to Nurmagomedov's 13-fight UFC tenure, claiming only three of those bouts were against what he called "named opponents." He also criticized Nurmagomedov's fighting style, noting a lack of knockout victories and stoppages in the UFC.

The Irish star revisited the circumstances of their 2018 bout, which remains the highest-selling pay-per-view event in UFC history. McGregor claimed he entered the fight at a significant disadvantage, citing a two-year layoff from mixed martial arts, numerous legal issues, and a broken foot sustained weeks before the fight, which was documented in a Netflix series. He asserted...