Conor McGregor deleted a tweet trashing Justin Gaethje's 'truly embarrassing' performance against Khabib Nurmagomedov
- Moments after Justin Gaethje lost to Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 254 in Abu Dhabi, he challenged Conor McGregor to a fist-fight.
- Gaethje said if McGregor has not signed a bout agreement to compete against Dustin Poirier in January, then he should fight him instead.
- The Irishman did not seem to welcome the challenge as he said on Twitter that Gaethje's performance against Nurmagomedov was "truly embarrassing."
- McGregor has since deleted the tweet.
FIGHT ISLAND — Conor McGregor deleted a tweet that trashed Justin Gaethje's "truly embarrassing" performance against Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 254.
The UFC lightweight champion Nurmagomedov retained his title with a second-round triangle choke submission which rendered the American challenger unconscious even though he tapped multiple times.
Gaethje landed the same amount of strikes as Nurmagomedov in the opening round (23) but was taken to the ground by the Russian, who tried to lock an armbar late in the opener.
Midway through the second round, Nurmagomedov had Gaethje in full mount on the floor and applied his chokehold.
After the result, Nurmagomedov announced a shock retirement from the UFC and professional fighting which frees up the lightweight championship.
Speaking to ESPN, Gaethje challenged McGregor — who has a fight against Dustin Poirier tentatively scheduled on January 23 — to fight him for the belt instead.
Having already put his rivalry with Nurmagomedov aside to congratulate him on the win and his retirement, McGregor appeared to reignite animosity with Gaethje.
"Dustin KO'd you, as well as your wrestling/grappling and overall fear of the central positions being truly embarrassing tonight, Justin," said McGregor, who has also lost via submission to Nurmagomedov.
The tweet has since been deleted.
Gaethje fanned the flames of his rivalry with McGregor earlier this week when he said the Irishman swerved a fight with him even after he had called him a "s--- father [and] husband."
Gaethje said he would want to fight again in the next few months but it is as of now unclear whom he will compete against.
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