Last Sunday marked the 6th anniversary of one of the biggest fights in MMA history, where UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov defended his lightweight title against former champion Conor McGregor. However, this fight was more than just about the title—it was about reputation. The battle’s script was written nearly six months earlier at the UFC 223 media day, now infamous for the ‘bus attack’ incident. This altercation was sparked when one of McGregor’s friends was slapped by ‘The Eagle’ backstage following a controversial statement, setting the stage for the explosive showdown.

Mystic Mac, furious over the incident, flew from Ireland on his private jet and launched a direct attack on Nurmagomedov and his team. Years later, the memory of that fight still resonates deeply with fans, leaving them to wonder: do ‘The Eagle’ and ‘The Notorious One’ still harbor animosity toward each other? While it’s unclear where the Irish star stands, former Heavyweight king Cain Velasquez might have some insight into Nurmagomedov’s current perspective.

Does Khabib Nurmagomedov still hate Conor McGregor?

Cain Velasquez, a longtime teammate of Khabib Nurmagomedov at the American Kickboxing Academy, recently sat down with the ‘Basement Talk’ podcast to share unheard events from his life. The host then shifted the conversation to the Nurmagomedov-McGregor rivalry, asking a question that’s on every fan’s mind. The man simply asked, “Does he (Khabib)… like, do he and Conor still hate each other?”

Velasquez denied any possibility of lingering hate from Mystic Mac’s side after so many years, stating, “On his side, no, I don’t think so. I think it was just, you know, especially at that time, man, when you’re fighting somebody like that, a lot of emotions come out.” He further emphasized that the rivalry was fueled by McGregor himself, explaining, “There are certain things you don’t touch, you don’t say. So, for him, he just felt like Conor crossed the line in that aspect. But, uh, no, I don’t think he has that hate for him anymore.”

Even though Khabib Nurmagomedov does not hate Conor McGregor the way he used to, that doesn’t stop his teammates from harboring animosity towards him. A situation emerges from time to time in the MMA landscape.

Ali Abdelaziz and Islam Makhachev bashed McGregor online

The beef between Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz, is nothing new. It traces its roots back to the same time the rivalry between the two megastars developed, particularly during the UFC 229 press conference. At that event, ‘The Notorious’, while trash-talking Nurmagomedov, also targeted his manager, Ali Abdelaziz, crossing boundaries by accusing him of involvement in t-rror-st activities, even linking him to the notorious 9/11 a-t-cks. Since then, it has become a regular occurrence for them to clash online.

As time passed, Team Khabib’s members were not hesitant to get involved. One of the most prominent names is Islam Makhachev, who took a shot at McGregor earlier this year after the Irishman pulled out of UFC 303 due to a toe injury. Makhachev trolled him on X, writing, “You don’t need a pinkie toe for a fight lol. Chicken.” Abdelaziz later joined in, further mocking McGregor by tweeting, “Hey Islam, all these bullsh*t people think it’s me who tweeted. Brother, now please give me your password, and let me smash all these people.”

Despite Khabib Nurmagomedov not holding a grudge, it doesn’t necessarily mean the dust has fully settled between the two, as they’re always one step away from rekindling the feud. What are your thoughts on Cain Velasquez’s remarks? Do you believe Khabib has truly ended the beef on his end? Share your opinion below.