Khabib Nurmagomedov doubles down on recent comments dismissing Irish MMA while issuing no-holds-barred challenge: "The facts speak for themselves"

Khabib Nurmagomedov recently reignited his rivalry with Conor McGregor, launching a pointed critique of Irish MMA while shedding light on the dominance of Dagestani fighters. The former UFC lightweight champion spoke confidently about what he views as a stark disparity in talent and success between fighters from the two regions in a recent interview with the Professional Fighters League (PFL).

Nurmagomedov doubled down on Dagestan’s dominance in both amateur and professional MMA, asserting that Irish fighters, aside from McGregor and a few emerging talents, fall short in comparison. He noted Dagestan’s consistent production of champions and title contenders across major promotions, while Ireland’s contributions, according to him, remain minimal.

The comments drew widespread attention, with many interpreting them as a direct challenge to McGregor and Irish MMA as a whole. Several prominent names, including the likes of Michael Bisping and Darren Till, dismissed Nurmagomedov's comments and defended Ireland's place in the sport.

Despite the backlash, 'The Eagle' recently took to X to double down on his stance and wrote:

"You can say whatever you want, but if we’re talking about facts, you can’t compare Irish fighters with fighters from Dagestan. We dominate amateur MMA, and it’s not even close—not just compared to Irish fighters but the whole world. I’m absolutely confident that if we were to organize a team vs. team matchup, Dagestan would defeat a world team in amateur MMA."

He added:

"And when it comes to professional MMA, we have champions, contenders, and ranked fighters in every major league. Show me Irish fighters who are currently title contenders in the top 3 MMA promotions. At best, you might be able to name 1 or 2 fighters."

Check out Khabib Nurmagomedov's X post below:

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Paul Hughes reacts to Khabib Nurmagomedov's comments about Irish MMA fighters

Paul Hughes responded to Khabib Nurmagomedov’s comments about Irish MMA with a pointed remark about Conor McGregor’s role in making the former UFC lightweight champion famous.

'The Eagle's recent comments, labeling Irish fighters as inferior to Dagestan’s, have reignited tensions ahead of Hughes’ title clash with Usman Nurmagomedov at the PFL: Road to Dubai - Champions Series in Dubai. The fight has been framed as a clash between Dagestan and Ireland, with the speculation that McGregor would be in Hughes' corner now firmly put to rest.

Hughes took to X to launch a series of posts directed at Nurmagomedov, writing:

"Conor made you famous... Dagestan No. 1 at juicing bratha."

Check out the X posts below: