The longstanding rivalry between Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov has flared up once more, this time due to accusations surrounding Khabib”s recent NFT launch. McGregor took to social media to label Khabib”s new Telegram-based NFT collection as a “multi-million-dollar scam,” inciting a wave of reactions across the MMA and cryptocurrency communities.
Khabib”s NFT collection, centered around the iconic Dagestani papakha hat he famously wore during UFC events, experienced a rapid sellout, amassing approximately $4.4 million in just one day. However, McGregor”s comments suggested that the promotional materials were misleading, alleging that posts related to the sale were deleted shortly after the launch.
In response to McGregor”s claims, Khabib vehemently denied any wrongdoing, describing the NFTs as cultural gifts rather than financial investments. He accused McGregor of attempting to tarnish his reputation, a sentiment echoed by many in the digital and MMA communities who questioned the validity of McGregor”s allegations.
On-chain investigator ZachXBT further escalated the situation by redirecting the focus back to McGregor”s own history with digital tokens. He highlighted the flaws surrounding McGregor”s previous token launch, which had garnered less financial support than anticipated and faced severe criticism for its management. ZachXBT pointed out that McGregor deleted several promotional posts after the launch, leaving investors in a lurch.
The sharp backlash against McGregor”s accusations underscored a sense of hypocrisy, as many noted that his own token had exhibited more red flags than Khabib”s NFT project. Following the intensified scrutiny, McGregor opted to delete his original posts, which branded Khabib”s endeavors a scam.
Despite McGregor”s assertions, there have been no reports suggesting that buyers of Khabib”s NFTs have lost access to their digital collectibles. The items maintain their functionality within the Telegram ecosystem, indicating that Khabib”s NFTs do not appear to have any broken utilities or issues with access.
Khabib has consistently framed his NFT project as a celebration of Dagestani culture, distancing it from the speculative nature often associated with digital assets. The renewed conflict between these two high-profile fighters not only reignites their personal rivalry but also highlights the intersecting worlds of sports and cryptocurrency.
