Conor McGregor sparks feud with Irish MMA star Paul Hughes: ‘Get that flag off you’
Conor McGregor sparks feud with Irish MMA star Paul Hughes: ‘Get that flag off you’
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Hughes was filmed telling McGregor’s bitter rival Khabib Nurmagomedov: ‘I’m not like that other guy’. Conor McGregor has hit out at fellow Irish MMA fighter Paul Hughes, after the latter seemingly distanced himself from the controversial former UFC champion.
![[Paul Hughes before his PFL title fight with Usman Nurmagomedov]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/29/16/18/20250125213638-_JP17681.jpg)
After losing a disputed decision to PFL champion Usman Nurmagomedov on Saturday, in a lightweight title fight in Dubai, Hughes spoke to his opponent’s cousin Khabib – a UFC icon and rival of McGregor. “I’m not like this other guy, I’m my own man, I’m not like this other guy,” Hughes told Khabib in newly-released footage, apparently referring to McGregor, who was submitted by the Russian to end a bitter feud in 2018.
![[Hughes lost a majority decision against Usman Nurmagomedov, cousin of Khabib]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/29/16/03/20250125214820-_JP19420.jpg)
“The media try and make us not respect [each other],” Hughes then told Usman. “But you know I always have respect.”. After failing to dethrone Usman, Hughes called for a rematch in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Although the 27-year-old fights out of Northern Ireland, he usually carries an Irish tricolour flag to the cage.
![[Conor McGregor suffered a broken leg in his last fight, three-and-a-half years ago]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2022/01/26/09/GettyImages-1328083397.jpg)
Despite having shared cordial exchanges with Hughes in the past – and even having publicly supported the younger fighter – McGregor took exception to “Big News”’s comments at the PFL event. “Too right, you’re not [like me],” wrote McGregor, 36, in a since-deleted tweet. He added in a vulgar insult: “Get that flag off you, you little know-what-you-are c*** from up there.”.
