Former UFC lightweight champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov has leaped to the defense of Paul Hughes after former Octagon rival, Conor McGregor hit out at the Derry native’s Irish integrity on social media in a bizarre and heated spat this afternoon.
McGregor, a former opponent and bitter arch-rival of former undisputed lightweight champion, Nurmagomedov, faced off with the Russian back in 2018, suffering a third round face crank submission loss in the pair’s historic pairing for the divisional spoil.
And cornering his cousin, Usman Nurmagomedov en route to his close, majority decision win over the aforenoted, Hughes earlier this month in the main event of PFL: Road to Dubai, Hall of Fame inductee, Khabib Nurmagomedov praised the Derry native — who claimed he was “like” his Irish counterpart following his judging loss.