“I only count knockouts. The only thing that’s final in this business is a knockout. All the other things – the decisions, the taps – all that s–t.” Conor McGregor declared in 2021, emphasizing that he acknowledged only one of his losses as legitimate while dismissing the rest as meaningless. Moreover, he added that the only ‘real’ way to win fights is by separating his opponents from their consciousness. A wild assertion but fits the bill keeping in mind the man who had claimed this. Now, in 2025, McGregor has hinted that his fighting career may be winding down. Speaking at the BKFC 70 Florida press conference last week, he suggested a shift in priorities following his visit to the White House on St. Patrick’s Day.

“There’s a lot of stuff going on back home. I’m happy with what I’ve done. There’s something else for me that’s in my gut right now, and that’s kind of where I’m going, so we’ll see,” McGregor stated, leaving fans speculating about his next move. Moreover, the former double champ expressed his desire to run for Ireland’s President, the elections for which are scheduled later this year in November. While this may have fueled rumors of a potential run in politics, it’s clear that the Irishman isn’t stepping away from bombarding his former foes with his verbal insults.

Recently, he took to Instagram to target his rivals Khabib Nurmagomedov, Ilia Topuria, and Islam Makhachev. Conor McGregor pointed out their combined total of 19 knockouts (8 from Khabib, 6 from Ilia, and 5 from Islam), contrasting it with his own 19 knockouts. Moreover, he posted a reel with the caption, “3 little staph infections.”

The rivalry between Conor McGregor and Team Khabib is well-documented, originating from an altercation in which ‘Team Khabib’ reportedly bullied the Irishman’s teammate, Artem Lobov. This led ‘The Notorious’ to fly from Ireland to the U.S., resulting in the infamous UFC 223 media day, often referred to as the “darkest press conference” in UFC history, which culminated in the notorious bus attack.

Since then, the relationship between Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov has remained fraught. In his 29-fight career, Khabib Nurmagomedov secured 5 knockouts (one against Thiago Tavares and the other against Darrell Horcher in the UFC) while his teammate, Islam Makhachev, renowned for his all-around skillset, continues to dominate the lightweight division, successfully defending his title for the fourth time and securing finishes in all of his recent bouts. His most famous ones are against Alexander Volkanovski and Gleison Tibau at UFC 294 and UFC 220 respectively.

Meanwhile, Ilia Topuria, the soon-to-be former featherweight champion, once a fan of Conor McGregor, has now emerged as one of his fiercest rivals. ‘La Leyenda’ also has KO wins over the likes of the aforementioned Volk, Max Holloway, and Jai Herbert. Despite Topuria claiming to have drawn inspiration from the Irishman, their relationship has deteriorated since last year. Recently, Topuria moved to the lightweight division, seemingly following in McGregor’s footsteps.

Team Volk suggests that Ilia Topuria is following Conor McGregor’s path

In 2016, Conor McGregor made history by becoming the first fighter to hold two UFC belts simultaneously, clinching the lightweight title with a knockout of then-champion Eddie Alvarez, all while still holding the featherweight belt. Fast forward to February 2025, when Dana White dropped a bombshell on a random Wednesday, granting Ilia Topuria’s long-awaited request to move up to the lightweight division. Topuria, who had defended his 145lbs belt once against Max Holloway and dethroned former pound-for-pound No. 1 Alexander Volkanovski, now seeks new challenges in a higher weight class.

On social media, Dana White explained, “Topuria felt like he’s done all that he can in that division. He feels like he’s cemented his legacy, and his body can’t make the weight anymore.” This announcement stirred up discussions across the MMA world, undoubtedly shaking up both the featherweight and lightweight divisions. Topuria will remain the featherweight champion until UFC 314, where the title will be contested between Diego Lopes and Alexander Volkanovski.

Until then, Ilia Topuria stays the champion. Last month, Alexander Volkanovski’s coach, Joe Lopez, shared his perspective during an appearance on Submission Radio. When asked about Topuria’s move to the lightweight division, Lopez noted, “What I gathered, I think he struggled to make the featherweight limit. He’s won that title, and now, I think he wants to follow the same path as Conor McGregor.”

What are your thoughts on Conor McGregor’s recent claims? Do you believe his remarks about Khabib Nurmagomedov, Islam Makhachev, and Ilia Topuria are warranted? Feel free to share your opinions below.