CONOR MCGREGOR has found himself on the receiving end of a stray shot from Belal Muhammad ahead of UFC 304.
The Irishman is currently on the sidelines following the cancellation of his comeback clash with Michael Chandler, which was due to headline UFC 303 last month.
McGregor, 36, still has aspirations of winning yet more UFC gold and has openly talked about the prospect of fighting for the welterweight title.
Vying for the 170lbs title is exactly what Muhammad will do early on Sunday morning when he rematches Leon Edwards in Manchester.
But ‘Remember The Name’ doesn’t foresee ‘Red Panty Night’ with Irishman ever coming to fruition if he dethrones Edwards.
The 36-year-old said: “I mean, anytime you bring him up it’s a money fight right?
“But, I don’t know.
“If he’s pulling out for a freaking toe against Michael Chandler, he would probably pull out for a broken nail to [not] fight me.”
McGregor withdrew from his comeback clash with Chandler due to a broken left pinky toe, which he suffered in one of his final sparring sessions.
It’s understood the UFC brass have earmarked December for the rescheduled Return of the Mac.
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With more sides to his personality than an Octagon, Conor McGregor's rise has been an enthralling watch.
Going from UFC icon to entrepreneur and Hollywood star, the Irishman has transcended the sport he helped bring to the masses.
He has four children with fiancee Dee Devlin and the family enjoy a lavish lifestyle.
McGregor has not fought in UFC since breaking his leg in a trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier in 2021.
That has not stopped him amassing a net worth of over £150m thanks to his Proper No Twelve whiskey and fashion line.
And he is due to return to the Octagon at UFC 303 in an eagerly-awaited headline clash with Michael Chandler.
McGregor also starred alongside Jake Gyllenhaal in the Amazon Prime remake of classic movie Road House, although he is dreading his mum seeing one X-rated scene.
Notorious turned up to the premiere in a £60,000 suit that was outdone by his £460k watch.
The only thing sharper than his fashion sense is his tongue and the Dubliner has several bitter spats under his belt, including with UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov.
That row led to one of his biggest controversies in 2018 as he travelled 3,000 miles to confront Khabib in a vicious attack on his bus.
He pleaded guilty to assault after punching a man in a pub in 2018 and had his £150k Bentley seized by police for driving offences four years later.
Joe Rogan lashed out at McGregor in a four-letter outburst and the Irishman has also fired shots at Jake Paul, KSI and Tommy Fury.
Boxing great Floyd Mayweather also has McGregor on his enemy list after the pair clashed in a cross-sport bout in 2017.
Read all of our latest Conor McGregor stories.
And in an exclusive interview with SunSport earlier this month, McGregor revealed he likes the idea of closing out the UFC’s pay-per-view calendar.
The UFC’s first simultaneous two-weight world champion told SunSport: “That sounds good to me.
“That sounds good to me brother.”
McGregor hasn’t set foot inside the octagon since snapping his left leg in his trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier three years ago.
The Irishman was left devastated by his first-ever withdrawal from a UFC fight, saying: “We were so f***ing super ready for this fight it is absolutely gut-wrenching to take.
“We had a lapse in concentration and engaged in a training session without wearing the full protective gear.
“And I hit the toe off the elbow and broke the toe clean. It needs a few weeks that’s it.
“I couldn’t justify to my team, or fans, that I make the walk hindered again. That walk has been seen.
“This next walk has got to be, and it will be, 100 per cent Conor McGregor. The fans deserve it and we are getting close.
“A slight lapse in concentration and a nuisance of an injury was picked up.
“That’s it. Take the lesson and move forward. I will get this back. I’ve got to.
“I’ve got two fights left on my contract. I’m coming to shine. I gotta just take my time.
“I’ll be back. See ya’s soon. See ya at the top. Chandler or not.”
