Khabib’s $4.4M NFT sale sparks feud as McGregor slams ‘crypto scam’

Key takeaways

What triggered the latest clash between McGregor and Khabib? 

McGregor accused Khabib’s Papakha NFT project of being a scam after promotional posts were deleted.

What broader issue does this feud highlight in the crypto space? 

It underscores rising concerns over celebrity accountability and growing regulatory scrutiny of NFT projects.

Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov are clashing once again, this time, not in the cage but over cryptocurrency.

McGregor calls out Khabib

On the 26th of November, McGregor accused the retired champion of running a scam using digital collectibles.

The controversy stems from Khabib’s new “Papakha” NFTs, digital versions of his iconic hat, sold via Telegram. Last weekend, Nurmagomedov promoted the collection, which honored the traditional headpiece linked to his undefeated UFC career.

The drop featured 29,000 NFTs and reportedly generated over $4.4 million in just 25 hours. Yet, soon after the sale ended, the promotional posts were deleted, catching McGregor’s eye and prompting a swift attack.

How did this controversy start?

McGregor accused Khabib of using Dagestani culture and his late father’s name to take money from fans before wiping the evidence.

He launched his attack on X (formerly Twitter), though the post has since been deleted, writing:

“There is just no way good guy Khabib used his late father’s name, as well as Dagestan’s culture, to scam his fans and fire sell a bunch of digital NFT’s online and then delete all of the content after they were sold, leaving his fans robbed of their money?”

Expressing further added,

“There is just no way good guy do this. Father’s plan has now become Father’s scam. Very sad.”

Khabib swiftly fired back, branding McGregor “an absolute liar.”

He defended the NFT project as a heartfelt tribute to his late father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, and a digital keepsake honoring Dagestani tradition, insisting it was never intended as a speculative cash-grab.

ZachXBT turned the tables

However, the debate took an interesting turn when on-chain investigator ZachXBT joined in. The investigator didn’t defend Khabib, but instead targeted McGregor’s own history.

ZachXBT reposted McGregor’s accusations alongside details of the Irishman’s own 2022 NFT project, “McGregor Realm,” which also received heavy promotion before quietly disappearing similarly.

The investigator simply quoted, before later deleting the post,

“Sound familiar?”

This back-and-forth instantly revived one of MMA’s most bitter rivalries, while also exposing the broader challenge of celebrity accountability in the crypto world.

This six-year-old feud has evolved into a digital war, even though one man retired undefeated, and the other is plotting a comeback after a career-halting injury.

What’s more?

This controversy comes as the global crypto market cap is recovering, regaining the $3.12 trillion mark, at press time, boosted by Bitcoin’s price surge above $90,000.

However, the celebrity dispute reflects a growing regulatory risk.

In the UK, the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) recently arrested two people after the £21 million collapse of Basis Markets, a crypto-investment scheme built around NFTs.

Investigators report that promoters promised investors algorithmic trading returns through NFT-based “membership access,” but diverted the funds instead.

All these events confirm that NFTs are exiting their regulatory “grey zone.”

Now, whether this was simply a failed celebrity NFT launch or something far more coordinated, only time will tell.