McGregor slams Khabib’s $4.4M NFT drop as a “Scam”

Conor McGregor’s return to social media lasted for a few hours before he found a familiar target. The former UFC double-champ resurfaced on Wednesday and immediately went after longtime nemesis Khabib Nurmagomedov. However, this time he accused the retired star of running an NFT grift built on Dagestani culture and the legacy of his late father.

Last Weekend, Nurmagomedov promoted a new digital project tied to the papakha. It was the traditional headpiece he wore during his undefeated UFC run. The drop reportedly included 29,000 NFTs and generated more than $4.4 million in just a 25-hour window. Then every post tied to the rollout quietly disappeared from his social media platforms without explanation,

That disappearance was enough rocket fuel for McGregor. “There is just no way good guy Khabib used his late father’s name, as well as Dagestan’s culture, to scam his fans,” McGregor wrote on X. “Fire selling digital NFTs online and then deleting all the content after they were sold, he added. “what a shame and a stain on his father’s name,” he wrote further.

Khabib denies NFT scam

He didn’t stop there and stated that “Father’s plan has now become Father’s scam. Very sad.” McGregor’s timing wasn’t accidental, as he recently insisted on preparing for a 2025 comeback. However, recently re-entered the drug-testing pool. The former champ has been teasing a return ever since the UFC confirmed plans for a blockbuster White House event in 2026. 

Khabib did respond to the allegations and denied the accusations. He went on to call McGregor “an absolute liar” while defending both the project and his family’s reputation. Sources close to the launch say the NFT collection was framed as a tribute to his late father, Abdulmanap. It was supposed to be a digital keepsake rather than a speculative cash-grab.

The situation took a hit within hours when On-chain investigator ZachXBT stepped into the conversation. He didn’t defend Khabib, but turned McGregor’s own words against him. He reposted McGregor’s accusations with receipts from the fighter’s own 2022 NFT project, “McGregor Realm.” It was rolled out with celebrity fanfare and then quietly vanished from his feeds in a similar fashion.

“Sound familiar?” the investigator asked. The back-and-forth instantly revived one of MMA’s most bitter rivalries. NFTPRICEFLOOR data shows that the global NFT market cap hovers around $3,3 billion. It jumped by around a 4% change over the last 24 hours.

The global crypto turned up for the recovery rally as its total market cap regained the $3.1 trillion mark. Its 24 hour trading volume clicked $140 million. Bitcoin price surge above $90,000 has given bulls some hope.

Their feud has stayed alive for six years, even though one retired as the undefeated lightweight champion and the other has been recovering from a career-halting leg break. As of now, McGregor is signaling a comeback and Khabib is returning fire publicly for the first time in a while.

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