Conor McGregor attacks Khabib Nurmagomedov again and downplays his rival's legacy ahead of UFC 329.

Khabib Nurmagomedov (left) stares Conor McGregor (dir.) Photo: Reproduction/Instagram/UFC.

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On the eve of UFC 329, Conor McGregor provoked again Khabib NurmagomedovThe former Irish champion downplayed his old rival's legacy, belittled his MMA career, and reignited one of the most memorable rivalries in the organization's history before facing him. Max Holloway in the rematch upon his return to the octagon.

In an interview with Complex, McGregor once again downplayed his loss to Khabib at UFC 229 in 2018, stating that the former champion built a large part of his career away from the spotlight of MMA. In the Irishman's view, the Russian only achieved global recognition because of their rivalry and hasn't done enough to justify himself as one of the greatest fighters in the sport's history.

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“He didn’t do anything in the sport. He fought me on the yacht. I was doing bad things, having a lot of fun. I hadn’t fought in two years and I lasted four rounds with him. This guy is nothing. The man has no courage. The first half of his career was in his father’s events, in the middle of nowhere. Wherever they’re from,” the double champion exclaimed.

The statements reignite one of the greatest rivalries in the event's history, precisely at a time when McGregor is trying to prove that he can still compete at a high level. After five years away from the octagon, the Irishman faces... Max Holloway in the main fight of UFC 329 and has used interviews to reinforce confidence in his return.

Remember Khabib vs. Conor?

Khabib celebrates his UFC victory with his father. Photo: Reproduction/Facebook/UFC

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The confrontation between Conor McGregor e Khabib Nurmagomedov It happened in October 2018, in the main event of UFC 229, and went down in history as one of the most memorable events ever promoted by the organization. The rivalry went beyond the limits of the sport after months of provocations, personal attacks, and the famous incident involving the Russian's bus, which McGregor attacked months before the fight.

When the octagon door closed, however, Khabib's dominance was absolute. Superior in wrestling, the then-champion took down the Irishman on several occasions, even staggering him with a knockdown, and in the fourth round he locked in a rear-naked choke that forced McGregor to tap out, authoritatively defending his lightweight title.

The tension, however, did not end with the fight. Immediately after his victory, Nurmagomedov jumped the octagon fence to confront members of 'Notorious' team, triggering a general brawl that took over the arena and resulted in punishments for both sides. Undefeated, the Russian ended his career with a perfect record of 29 wins in 29 fights, while Conor never got the rematch he had been demanding for years.