Conor McGregor has been told by viral internet sensation Hasbulla Magomedov that he should see him in Abu Dhabi at UFC 280 next month after slamming the Russian as "inbred".
McGregor was seemingly irked by clips which came out this week showing Magomedov messing around and 'attacking' UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski and basketball legend Shaquille O'Neal. He took to Twitter yesterday in his latest 'tweet-and-delete' attack to go after the social media star, declaring that he wanted to "volley" the 19-year-old.
Magomedov has become famous online in MMA circles after a mock press conference last year showed he and Abdu Rozik, a fellow dwarf, seemingly promoting a fight between them. The bout never materialised after concerns for both of their health, but Hasbulla and Abdu Rozik became household names as a result.
And after McGregor attacked him in his latest Twitter tirade, Magomedov responded: "I don’t follow bums… I didn’t know someone was running their mouth, @ me next time". He then declared himself "undefeated" and mocked McGregor's record before calling him out for a fight next month in the Middle East.
"I have my UFC contract now," Magomedov added. "If Conor McGregor is really a man… see me in Abu Dhabi. Got smashed by Khabib already. Guess his money from Mayweather ran out and he needs more attention".
McGregor's aggressive tirade on social media came essentially unprovoked, although it was likely in response to videos of the Russian during his Australian tour where he threw punches at O'Neal and Volkanovski. He slammed Magomedov as a "smelly little inbred" and declared that he wanted to kick him like a Gaelic football.
"I’d love to boot that little g**p Hasbulla over a goal post," McGregor tweeted. "How much to get him on the volley? I’m gonna make it my mission to score a three pointer with him one day, hon the GAA." Booting a ball over the posts in Gaelic football is one point, while scoring a goal is worth three.
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McGregor drew the ire of Volkanovski as a result, with the current featherweight champion rushing to his pal's defence saying: "You’ll have to go through me first, leave my mate alone." The internet star pranked Volkanovski as the pair ate dinner together, wiping a burger in his face after having punched O'Neal a few days prior.
Part of the Hasbulla gimmick is that the Russian will approach a celebrity, such as UFC legend Daniel Cormier, YouTuber-turned-boxer Adam Saleh or Barstool Sports personality Caleb Pressley, and punch them. He is something of a mock fighter and close friends with Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Dana White has previously joked he would be willing to allow him to fight Rozik in the UFC if his father would allow it. He told Barstool Sports last year that there was a "more than zero per cent" chance that Magomedov could compete in the octagon after meeting the pair at an event in the Middle East.
