"Might be small but holds a spirit the size of a mastodon" - Former UFC fighter backs Hasbulla's fighting words for Conor McGregor

Hasbulla Magomedov, who recently signed a five-year contract with the UFC, issued a warning to Conor McGregor during an appearance on the Full Send Podcast, stating that the Irishman could be in trouble should the two cross paths in the future.

It appears that 'Mini Khabib' also has the support of former UFC fighter Diego Sanchez. Sharing a post from Sportskeeda MMA, the former UFC welterweight weighed in on Hasbulla's comments about 'The Notorious', suggesting that the social media sensation's small height wouldn't hold him back from taking it to McGregor.

According to Sanchez, Hasbulla may not be a match for McGregor when it comes to his height, but he certainly has a spirit the size of a 'mastodon', an extinct elephant breed that is shorter than modern elephants but heavily built. Here's what Sanchez wrote:

"@hasbulla.hushetskiy might be small but holds a spirit the size of a mastodon"

Check out the Instagram post below:

Conor McGregor and Hasbulla Magomedov have been embroiled in online beef for a considerable amount of time now. The two have been trading insults trade since the Irishman's intense rivalry with Khabib Nurmagomedov in late 2018.

While MMA fans would love to see the two settle the scores, it obviously wouldn't happen inside the octagon given their size difference.

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Conor McGregor targets early 2023 UFC return

Fans have been eagerly awaiting the return of Conor McGregor ever since he fractured his tibia and fibula during his fight against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021.

While a lot has been said about the Irishman's UFC future ever since, it appears that 'The Notorious' isn't far from his comeback.

During an Instagram Live session, Conor McGregor announced that he plans to make his octagon return as early as the first quarter of 2023. Here's what the former UFC double-champion said:

"I'm gonna be back soon, hopefully. Early 2023 I'm aiming for. Sometime in that first quarter."

Watch Conor McGregor discuss his UFC return in the video below:

McGregor is currently placed at the No.13 spot in the UFC lightweight rankings. The Irish megastar hasn’t won a fight at 155-pounds since capturing the title from then-divisional champion Eddie Alvarez nearly six years ago.

However, McGregor is expected to make his UFC return at welterweight after packing on some muscle during his recovery phase. The Irishman also revealed previously that he aspires to become the first-ever three-division champion in the promotion.