Conor McGregor came to the defense of his former foe, Max Holloway, ahead of UFC 308.

Holloway (26-7 MMA, 22-7 UFC) challenges featherweight champion Ilia Topuria (15-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) in the Oct. 26 main event at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi (ESPN+ pay-per-view). Just this week, Holloway was mocked by Topuria for losing to McGregor by unanimous decision in 2013.

“He got beat by Conor McGregor. When you get beat by Conor McGregor, shut the f*ck up,” Topuria said on The Ariel Helwani Show. “F*ck, bro, forget about it. When Conor McGregor beats you, forget about it.”

After losing to McGregor, Holloway would go on a 13-fight winning streak, including back-to-back finishes of Jose Aldo in title fights. McGregor, who recently has been trading barbs with Topuria, heaped praise on Holloway’s success.

“It’s not a bad shout hahaha but Holloway came back and earned it majorly. Two time FW champion. Attempted double champ. Is current BMF champ. Nah, he the real deal. Always was, always is. Holloway is an always was, always is. 1000% He became way better after losing to me. He actually became an all-time great after losing to me. This is a stellar fight folks! He took moves as well with him. He became ambidextrous after fighting me. He can fight in both stances now as good as each other. He will be very hard to catch for the little man. Don’t walk into a crushing blow bro. He is strong too. And very experienced! 100%! BIG FIGHT FEEL FOR ME HERE, FOLKS! Oh yes Let’s go! #yawelcome #ufcabudhabi.”

Ilia Topuria traded more words with “fake fighter” Conor McGregor ahead of his #UFC308 title defense vs. Max Holloway. pic.twitter.com/HssJgKyMEu

— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) October 16, 2024

McGregor also took the opportunity to take shots at Topuria, coining a new nickname for him.

“Little puppy paws he has. Check the little puppy paws on him. He is Spanish is he? Has he a fight nickname, this guy? I now christen him ‘The Puppy.’”

“Georgia does not have bullfighting. His prior nickname is terminated. He is now “The Puppy” Which is a good name, everybody likes puppies .”

Topuria fired back, dubbing McGregor a fake fighter.

“100% Max has improved after fighting you. He must have realized that if he wanted to make a living from this, he couldn’t be so bad as to lose to someone like you. Nowadays, he beats you easily. Dustin knocked you out in the rematches, Nate beat you two times, Khabib humiliated you, and Floyd gave you a master class in boxing at 50 years old. Take a seat kid. you’re a fake fighter.”

100% Max has improved after fighting you. He must have realized that if he wanted to make a living from this, he couldn’t be so bad as to lose to someone like you. Nowadays, he beats you easily. Dustin knocked you out in the rematches, Nate beat you two times, Khabib humiliated… https://t.co/OpKVqL4gqM

— Ilia Topuria (@Topuriailia) October 16, 2024

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 308.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – A.J. McKee believes there’s a lot riding on his next fight.

The former Bellator featherweight champion is confident a win over Paul Hughes at Saturday’s PFL: Battle of the Giants will get him a crack at the belt at 155 pounds, a title currently held by Usman Nurmagomedov.

“I think it’s an exciting matchup,” McKee told MMA Junkie and other reporters at Wednesday’s media day. “The fight everyone has wanted for the longest is Usman (Nurmagomedov) and I, so I think this is the fight to get to that fight. So yeah, with that being said, I just have to go handle business Saturday and onto bigger and better things.”

McKee (22-1) has been displeased by some of the things Hughes (12-1) has said ahead of their lightweight bout. Although there’s been trash talk on his end in past fights, McKee believes his approach is vastly different than Hughes.

“We’re completely two different human beings,” McKee said. “In my process and my journey I always had respect for Patricio where I don’t feel it’s a respect thing. I think he’s a little headstrong and arrogant, but that’s my personal opinion. But yeah, when we get locked in that cage on Saturday, it’s just him and I. All the smack talk and the jokes go out the window.”

Although setting his sight on Nurmagomedov, McKee understands Hughes is not an easy challenge and he’ll require his full attention this Saturday.

“I can’t look past Paul Hughes, but at the same time I know where I see myself and what it takes to be there.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for PFL: Battle of the Giants.

LAS VEGAS – Anthony Hernandez is like many MMA fans.

He doesn’t know what to expect out of opponent Michel Pereira come fight night, nor does it bother him.

Despite being one of the highest-ranked middleweights in the world, Hernandez (12-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) is largely unplugged from the MMA scene. He has a low-key social media presence and doesn’t research the odds or other divisional happenings.

Sure, he knows Pereira (31-11 MMA, 9-2 UFC) does backflips and leaps off the cage. But Hernandez isn’t interested in predicting the unpredictable.

“I don’t know, and I really respectfully don’t care,” Hernandez told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a UFC Fight Night 245 pre-fight news conference Wednesday. “I’m just going to kind of go out there and do what I do. I really don’t give a f*ck what he has to offer because I’m focused on what I’m going to do great. That’s as simple as that. That’s kind of how I keep things mentally for myself.”

Hernandez laid out a very simplistic read of the fight – the things he felt he knew for sure. The difference, he thinks, lies in the cardio.

“It’s hard to say because Pereira in the third round, respectfully, he looks like sh*t,” Hernandez said. “He’s wild as f*ck. He can catch you and knock you the f*ck out. So it’s not like, ‘Oh sh*t.’ But I think that if everything goes right and my hands are up, I think I finish him just because of the way he finishes and the way I don’t gas. Stylistically, seeing it on paper is perfect for me. But now, it’s just go do it.”

“… He’s a hard guy to f*cking judge. I don’t even think he knows what he’s doing. I think he even mentioned that he kind of sees it and goes. But yeah, for sure. It’s like jogging and sprinting. He’s sprinting all the time when he’s doing all that crazy sh*t. That sh*t takes hella energy. His last two fights he came out calm and collected, so I’d expect him to come out calm and collected. That would definitely help his gas tank, for sure.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 245.

Celtic have been fined approximately £16,700 for the “lighting of fireworks” during their recent Champions League defeat away to Borussia Dortmund.

And the Scottish Premiership champions could face a one-match ban on away fans at a Uefa club match if there is another incidence in the next two years.

Uefa said, external its control, ethics and disciplinary body had decided: “To fine Celtic FC €20,000 and to ban Celtic FC from selling tickets to its away supporters for a total of one (1) UEFA club competition match, for lighting of fireworks.

“Said ban from selling tickets to its away supporters is suspended for a probationary period of two (2) years, starting from the date of the present decision.”

Celtic opened their league phase with a 5-1 home win over Slovan Bratislava before losing 7-1 in Germany.