Paulie Malignaggi’s brief tenure as a sparring partner for Conor McGregor could best be described as tumultuous, and the events that led to him exiting the Irishman’s camp have resulted in some bad blood between the two men.
The biggest point of contention between the fighters was an alleged knockdown by McGregor, who posted a photo on social media of him standing over a fallen Malignaggi during a sparring session. Malignaggi claimed that it was a push, not a knockdown, that sent him to the canvas. Later, UFC President Dana White released video footage of the moment in question, but Malignaggi continued to maintain that it was a push that caused him to fall.