Conor McGregor was inches away from an altercation with Bellator middleweight champion Gegard Mousasi just minutes before a world title fight in Dublin this year.
Mousasi was in the Irishman's hometown to defend his belt against Austin Vanderford this February, with a host of McGregor's pals featured on the undercard. And after he helped to carry pal Sinead Kavanagh backstage following her win over Leah McCourt, the UFC legend almost got into it with old rival Mousasi.
The pair have had an unhappy relationship dating back years following a Twitter spat over half a decade ago and have never seen eye to eye. McGregor was seen backstage offering final words of encouragement to Vanderford, whom he hardly knows, ahead of the Dublin bout.
Ultimately, Mousasi won by first-round TKO in a completely one-sided performance. But by that point McGregor had already left the venue to celebrate with pals who had won on the card, such as Kavanagh and Lee Hammond.
But there was very nearly a pre-fight altercation just seconds before Mousasi made the walk. The former UFC star told Mirror Fighting that his brother told Bellator officials "there could be a problem" if McGregor stuck around backstage.
"A couple of years ago I had a back-and-forth message with him on Twitter," Mousasi explained. "So he's a little bit bum-hurt and he wanted Vanderford to beat me up.
"But Conor McGregor is a little fart, he cannot deal with me, I would kill that guy. I don't care, I really don't care but it was funny, and I did see it, I heard he was going backstage."
McGregor has been nursing a broken leg over the past year but was walking around unassisted at the 3Arena that night. However, he was still around two months away from his return to sparring that happened in April, and his first kicks on the injured leg that only took place this month.
"My brother didn't like it," Mousasi continued. "So he talked to Bellator and told them there might be a problem if he comes backstage. After that he didn't come there any more, I don't think that we are that friendly with each other.
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"I told his coach 'if he comes here, it could be a problem'. I was focused on my fight, he's just a little bit of an annoying guy, but I don't have real problems with that guy and I'm okay."
Mousasi is preparing to face Johnny Eblen next Friday night in his next title defence, which will take place in the much less rowdy Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut. He is heavily favoured to beat the American, who hasn't lost in his 11 professional fights, but faces a major step-up against a 58-fight veteran.
"Every fight is different, I fought Vanderford very early and it wasn't really much of a fight," he explained. "This could be a very different one, he might be very tough, he can grind and he's a wrestler, the last two opponents are similar style wrestlers with takedowns.
"He might come in and he could really give it his all and fight, you never know. But the way I feel right now I don't think he can make it past three rounds, to be honest."
Watch Gegard Mousasi in action at Bellator 282: Mousasi vs. Eblen live on BBC iPlayer from 11pm BST on Friday, June 24
