ladbible logo

To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories, we're happy to send you some reminders

Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications

Conor McGregor Turns Up Late For Khabib Nurmagomedov Press Conference, Calls Manager A 'Terrorist'

Conor McGregor Turns Up Late For Khabib Nurmagomedov Press Conference, Calls Manager A 'Terrorist'

'The Notorious' shows up late as Khabib faces an awkward presser.

Ben Smith

Ben Smith

If ever you could count on a spectacle, Conor McGregor's final press conference as he approaches the biggest fight in MMA history with the undefeated Khabib Nurmagomedov would be it.

McGregor went in hard on Nurmagomedov's manager - Ali Abdelaziz - calling him a 'terrorist' and an 'informant', as well as claiming he was kicked off a flight from Cairo to New York.

"He was caught with five passports," he said. "I don't know how that man is in the country".

PA Images
PA Images

The Irishmen stormed in to cheers from the crowd - his excuse for being late? The traffic.

His take on the fight was typically blunt. "He knows what he fucking signed up for," he said. "He's better off running anyway. He should've just stayed put. He is petrified."

Fair enough, I mean Conor was late, but Khabib didn't exactly stick around when his questions were done to wait for him. Maybe the Russian wants to do his talking in the Octagon.

When questioned on the fight, Conor wasn't exactly fucking around either. "It's another day. Send that man's nose into the nosebleeds. You'll never beat the fookin' Irish

The bad blood between the two fighters has been ramped up ahead of the weigh in on Friday night, with the main fight scheduled for the early hours of Sunday (BST).

McGregor even got a plug in for his new whiskey, 'Proper Twelve'.

"It is the tastiest Irish whiskey there is on the planet," he offered, in typically bullish fashion.

Well, yes he would say that, but in true Tommy Shelby fashion he goaded the crowd to repeat after three: "Fuck the Jamieson Brothers!"

Earlier, on the podium alone as everyone waited for the unpredictable Irishman, Khabib said that he wouldn't shake McGregor's hand after the fight - win or lose.

"No, no way." Why not? he was asked. "Because." Fair enough, Khabib mate.

"Honestly this is for me more than to fight for the title," he went on. "It is personal."

Asked for his prediction, the Russian said, "Maybe a decision. Maybe I'm going to finish him. When he's tired, he gives up all the time."

Only time will tell, and as for Conor's timing, a last reflection from Khabib: "Fifteen minutes I am here. This guy didn't turn up. Big disrespect." Wow. Even Dana White said it was awkward.

Apart from that, it was a pretty quiet affair. Roll on the weigh in...






Featured Image Credit: Sports Center