UFC Stars Conor McGregor and Khabib Clash Over NFT and Memecoin Projects

TLDR

• Conor McGregor accused Khabib Nurmagomedov of scamming fans with NFTs themed around Dagestani culture that reportedly generated $4.4 million
• ZachXBT responded by reminding McGregor of his own failed REAL memecoin launch in April that only raised 39% of its target
• McGregor’s REAL token featured sealed-bid auction and staking rewards but failed due to market conditions and memecoin downturn
• Khabib defended the NFT drop as legitimate digital gifts celebrating Dagestani tradition and called McGregor a liar
• The memecoin market has declined to $39.4 billion in 2025, down from its peak performance in 2024

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Former UFC champion Conor McGregor criticized retired fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov over an NFT collection featuring digital papakhas, traditional Dagestani hats. Social media reports indicated the NFT drop generated approximately $4.4 million in sales.

McGregor posted on X that Nurmagomedov used his late father’s name and Dagestani culture to sell the digital assets. He claimed Nurmagomedov deleted promotional posts after the sale was complete. The Irish fighter called it a stain on his rival’s father’s legacy.

Nurmagomedov responded by defending the NFT collection as legitimate digital gifts with real value. He stated the collection was created to celebrate Dagestani tradition. The retired champion called McGregor an absolute liar and suggested the accusations were revenge for their 2018 fight.

Onchain investigator ZachXBT entered the conversation by pointing out McGregor’s own crypto project. ZachXBT reminded McGregor of his failed REAL memecoin launch from April. The investigator questioned whether McGregor used Irish culture and his reputation to sell tokens before deleting related posts.

McGregor’s Failed Token Launch

McGregor partnered with Real World Gaming DAO to launch the REAL token earlier this year. The project used a sealed-bid auction format to prevent trading bots and price manipulation. The token included staking rewards for holders as a key feature.

The REAL token presale only raised 39% of its fundraising target. The project team processed refunds for all participants after the failed launch. McGregor attributed the failure to broader crypto market conditions and a memecoin bear market.

Memecoin Market Decline

The memecoin sector experienced strong performance throughout 2024 as one of the top-performing crypto categories. The market began declining sharply in early 2025. Several high-profile token launches either crashed immediately or were labeled as rug pulls.

Projects endorsed by US President Donald Trump and Argentina’s President Javier Milei faced similar criticism. The memecoin market capitalization fell to $39.4 billion on Friday. This represents the lowest level recorded in 2025, with up to $5 billion lost in a single day according to CoinMarketCap data.

The rivalry between McGregor and Nurmagomedov dates back to their 2018 UFC fight where Nurmagomedov defeated McGregor. The conflict has now extended into the cryptocurrency and digital asset space. Both fighters deleted promotional posts related to their respective crypto ventures after facing public criticism.

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