Conor McGregor challenges 'woeful' Belal Muhammad, tells Ilia Topuria it's 'on sight'
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Conor McGregor is keeping his options open.
Earlier this year, McGregor was supposed to make his long-awaited return to the cage in the main event of UFC 303 against Michael Chandler. However, "Notorious" withdrew from the event a few weeks out after suffering a toe injury and now Chandler instead rematchesCharles Oliveira at UFC 309. And while McGregor still seems interested in settling his business with Chandler next, he's also open to other opponents, like UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad.
"He's woeful. I want to fight him," McGregor said during a recent live stream hosted by online gambling site Duelbits. "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 won 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 contract, 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 was not the only UFC champion to draw the former champ-champ's ire. UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria and McGregor have gone back-and-forth in the media for some time and 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.
