Usman Nurmagomedov: Conor McGregor's rage is all because 'Khabib kicked his ass'

Khabib Nurmagomedov's cousin Usman Nurmagomedov has claimed there's a simple reason why Conor McGregor remains so obsessively angry towards the Nurmagomedov family.

After a huge night in Dubai that saw Nurmagomedov edge out Irish star Paul Hughes by majority decision to retain his Bellator lightweight title, McGregor ended up dominating the news cycle after he fired off a barrage of offensive social media posts on X, aimed at the Nurmagomedov family, as well as Hughes.

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The bout between Nurmagomedov and Hughes was dubbed Dagestan vs Ireland 2 – a nod to the fiery first meeting between the nations' top MMA stars when Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor did battle at UFC 229 back in 2018.

After a heated build-up that saw McGregor attack a UFC fighter minibus containing Khabib at UFC 223, and some pre-fight trash talk that stepped beyond the boundaries of decency, even in MMA, it was Khabib who had the last laugh as he decked McGregor before forcing him to tap out to a neck crank in the fourth round of their UFC lightweight title clash.

Immediately after that fight, a mass brawl broke out between the two rival teams, which prevented Khabib from being presented his belt in the Octagon after his victory.

But while Khabib and McGregor ended in chaos, Usman and Hughes ended with class and respect.

Referring to McGregor, Hughes told Usman and his team after the fight, "I'm not like this other guy. I'm my own man. I'm not like this other guy.

"The media try to make us not respect. But you know I always have respect."

That infuriated McGregor, who raged at Hughes and questioned his Irish identity, while continuing his ongoing rhetoric aimed at Nurmagomedov and his team.

For Usman, the reason for McGregor's continued hatred of his team is simple.

"Maybe because Khabib kicked his ass," he told MMA Fighting.

"He wants a rematch, but he has to live with this all his life, and his kids have to live with this all (their lives).

"When his kids will grow up, when his kids are 18, or 12, people will say 'Hey, your father was trying to do some crazy stuff, but some guy from the mountains of Dagestan came to America and kicked your father's ass.' That’s it. That's why he cannot sleep even.

"He has to live with this and (get past) this.

"All his family, all his legacy, all this, is around this (defeat). He lost to Khabib when had to win.

"But it didn't happen. Khabib smashed his face, his team and all what he was working for."

Nurmagomedov also chatted with MMA Junkie, where he revealed that he needs to make sure he stays in control of his own personality now that he's being seen as a role model for others.

"Paul (Hughes) is a good guy. We spoke with him a little bit. He's a really good guy. This time is a hard time for people, to be honest. And you have to be a good example, because everyone right now is living on their phone.

"I'm not good guy. I'm not 100 percent good guy. I'm not so kind. I'm not so humble. I know this. But I have to be."

Usman Nurmagomedov gives a classy reaction to Conor McGregor trashing his family name.

(via @MikeBohn) pic.twitter.com/IbwyzEfGm7
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) February 11, 2025

"People are living on their phone, on the media, they're watching, they're following, and when you show a bad example, this is very bad. You have to understand, brother, a lot of people are watching you. You have to be a good example.

"I'm trying to follow these rules. I'm not a good guy, for sure. I'm not 100 percent a good guy. I'm not so kind, I'm not so humble. I know this. But I have to be. I have to try. I have to learn. I have to change some things, some of my mistakes.

"And I have to be, because of the young people who will grow, they are watching me. They come, they try to take photos, they wish me some good stuff, and that's why you have to be a good example for the people."

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