The Irishman targeted new UFC lightweight title holder Islam Makhachev
Conor McGregor has branded UFC champions Islam Makhachev and Alexander Volkanovski “two little ticks,” as the Irishman claimed he is “crazy confident” of a successful return to fighting.
Russia’s Makhachev was crowned new UFC lightweight king with a dominant performance against Brazilian rival Charles Oliveira at UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi on Saturday night.
Current featherweight champion Volkanovski was among those in the crowd at the Etihad Arena, and the Australian made his way into the octagon after the fight to reiterate his intention to face Makhachev in a bid to become the UFC’s latest two-weight champion.
Makhachev and UFC president Dana White have both said they are on board with the fight – potentially in a contest held in Volkanovski’s Australian homeland – although McGregor has poured scorn on the idea as he dismissed a bout between the pair as a guaranteed box-office flop.
“My told old belts. On two little ticks. This fight does 10 buys,” said the former two-weight champion, scoffing at the supposed lack of pay-per-view attraction of a Makhachev-Volkanovski main event.
McGregor, who is currently filming a remake of Hollywood movie ‘Road House’, claimed that once his acting detour was over, he would make a successful return to the octagon.
“I’m feeling crazy confident. Calm. Disattached from emotion. Aware of what I must do and making it happen. Visualizing. I see it all. Clear. This movie wraps, I’m back. I’ll have multiple fights completed by the time this movie even releases,” wrote the Irishman.
“Fighting is easier than making movies,” added the 33-year-old in another of a series of tweets in which he predicted he would win acting awards for his big-screen debut.
Volkanovski responded to McGregor with a shot of his own, sharing a past quote from The Notorious in which he had stated “winners focus on winning” and “losers focus on winners.”
“A former wise man once said…,” wrote the Australian.
That drew a more cordial response from McGregor, who said he was “happy” for Volkanovski’s success – prompting a respectful reply from the featherweight champion.
Less impressed was MMA manager Ali Abdelaziz – who counts the likes of McGregor conqueror Khabib Nurmagomedov and current champion Makhachev among his clients.
“You dumb a**, the champ say losers focus on winners, stop stealing people’s shine, Khabib took your soul on October 6. You are living without a soul,” wrote Abdelaziz, referencing Nurmagomedov’s fourth-round win over McGregor in their 2018 Las Vegas grudge match.
Now retired and mentor to Makhachev, Khabib was in his protege’s corner in Abu Dhabi on Saturday as his fellow Dagestani became the region’s latest UFC champion.
McGregor, meanwhile, reacted with predictable spite in a series of tweets shortly after that achievement, taking aim at Khabib and claiming he had the “tools” to handle Makhachev.
The Irishman, however, has earned just one win in his last four visits to the octagon, and has been undergoing a lengthy recovery from the brutal leg break he suffered against Dustin Poirier in July 2021.
UFC boss Dana White revealed on Saturday that it could be at least six months before fans see McGregor in the octagon again, as he is not currently part of the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) testing pool.
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