Khabib Nurmagomedov's cousin reveals real reason Conor McGregor is obsessed with his family: 'That's why he cannot sleep'
02/13/2025 09:39 AM
Usman Nurmagomedov has a theory about Conor McGregor's obsession with Russia's most famous fighting family.
The former dual-weight UFC champion shared one of the most bitter rivalries in sporting history with Khabib Nurmagomedov before they fought at UFC 229 in October 2018.
Naturally, their beef didn't end with Nurmagomedov tapping out McGregor. A mass brawl broke out in the cage, and seven years later the two UFC legends continue to snipe at each other through social media.
Lately, McGregor has been aiming increasingly angry rants at Nurmagomedov, his family, and teammates.
Usman Nurmagomedov shares Conor McGregor theory
Usman Nurmagomedov recently found himself in McGregor's crosshairs when he fought Northern Irish fighter Paul Hughes at PFL Champions Series 1 in January.
The lightweight title bout dubbed 'Dagestan vs Ireland 2' ended with a controversial split decision win for Nurmagomedov.
Hughes was caught on camera having a friendly chat with Khabib post-fight, which infuriated McGregor, who has been blasting him on social media ever since.
Of course, the Nurmagomedovs have also found themselves in the firing line of his Twitter rants. As far as Khabib's 26-year-old cousin is concerned, McGregor's angry obsession with his family stems from the fact he never got the chance to avenge his most famous defeat.
"Maybe because Khabib kicked his a–," Nurmagomedov told MMA Fighting when addressing McGregor's recent behavior.
"He wants a rematch, but he has to live with this all his life, and his kids have to live with this all his life.
"When his kids will grow up, when his kids are 18 [years old], people will say 'Hey your father tried to do some crazy stuff but some guy from Dagestan came to America and kicked your father's a–.' That's it. That's why he cannot sleep even."
"He has to live with this and pass with this," Nurmagomedov said. "All his family, all his legacy, all this, is around this. He lost to Khabib when had to win. But it [did not] happen. Khabib smashed his face, his team, and all for what he was working [for].
"When Khabib beat him, he [did not] come back to fighting, even for life I think."
What's next for Usman Nurmagomedov?
An immediate rematch seemed inevitable after the first fight between Nurmagomedov and Hughes.
However, Nurmagomedov bizarrely claimed his rival needed to pick up four or five wins to get back into title contention during a post-fight media scrum.
More recently, he's changed his tune on a potential rematch with Hughes happening in 2025.
“We can do it again, why not? “If he will win one fight we can do it again." Nurmagomedov told MMA Junkie.
"One. Just win one fight and call my name. When he called my name the first time, I accepted. Next time I will accept too.
“I don’t care. Anyone who deserves a title shot, I will (be) ready, just let me know. Location, time, and date.”
