Conor McGregor, recovering from a toe injury that canceled his UFC 303 fight against Michael Chandler, is keeping his options open for future opponents, including UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad and featherweight champion Ilia Topuria, while Muhammad dismisses McGregor’s challenges and Topuria remains focused on his upcoming title defense.
Conor McGregor is keeping his options open.
Earlier this year, McGregor was set to return in the main event of UFC 303 against Michael Chandler. However, a toe injury forced him to withdraw a few weeks before the fight. Now, Chandler will rematch Charles Oliveira at UFC 309. While McGregor still seems interested in facing Chandler next, he’s also eyeing other opponents, such as UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad.
“He’s woeful. I want to fight him,” McGregor said during a recent live stream hosted by Duelbits, an online gambling site. “OK, Chandler is next. Belal-McGregor, UFC welterweight world title fight on the line. I have multiple knockouts at 170. I’m a force to be reckoned with at 170. I do damage at 170.”
“Check the stats. One hundred percent accuracy, this man hasn’t even got a knockdown in UFC history. Not one knockdown! It’s embarrassing, to be honest. Kind of slow-rolling a person because you just don’t give a bollocks. They’re all bums.”
Muhammad is on an 11-fight unbeaten streak at 170 pounds and recently clinched the welterweight title with a dominant performance over Leon Edwards at UFC 304. That being said, McGregor is correct in stating Muhammad has zero recorded knockdowns in his welterweight career. In contrast, McGregor has only competed three times at welterweight and has four knockdowns, though only one knockout.
Muhammad later responded to McGregor.
“Conor, how many times are we going to do this?” Muhammad said. “You start calling my name out, I clap back, then you go missing again. Let’s stop this game, bro. We know you’re not coming back to fight us. We know you need help. You haven’t won a fight since 2020. The last Muslim fighter you sent location, he sent you to the hospital. So stop doing this to yourself. You don’t want this to happen again. I’d rather help you than fight you, bro.”
“But if you do want to fight, Dana, hit my line.”
Muhammad wasn’t the only UFC champion to draw the former champ-champ’s ire. UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria and McGregor have been exchanging jabs in the media for some time now.
McGregor once again laid into the Spanish champion, even encouraging Topuria to come to an upcoming BKFC event (McGregor is part owner of the promotion) if he wants to settle things.
“Bop, bop, bop, bop, bop. I’d grab him by the scruff of the chest and slap that little nose off him,” McGregor said of Topuria. “Little ding-dong of a thing he is. I’m f*cking Spanish. I’m in Marbella, bro. I’m in Marbella at the bare-knuckle stall; let’s see what’s what! We’ll bounce and have a bare-knuckle! You little fool, I’ll cave your head in! You little short-ass thing, I’ll box your jaw in!”
“On sight! I’m in Marbella, Spain. I’m in Marbella, Spain, Oct. 12… See what happens to you. See what happens if you cross me, bro!”
It’s unlikely Topuria will honor McGregor’s request as he is already scheduled to defend his featherweight title against Max Holloway at UFC 308 on Oct. 26 in Abu Dhabi.
McGregor has not competed since shattering his leg against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July of 2021. He is expected to make his return in early 2025.