‘Don’t you rob fans enough?’ Malignaggi taunts McGregor over ‘phone-smashing’ arrest

Former boxing world champion Paulie Malignaggi wasted little time in taunting bitter rival Conor McGregor after the Irish UFC star was arrested for allegedly snatching and smashing a fan’s phone.

McGregor was detained in Miami on Monday and charged with one count of strong-arm robbery and one count of criminal mischief, after he reportedly clashed with a fan attempting to take a photo outside the Fontainebleau Miami Beach hotel at around 5am that day.

The UFC star, 30, was later released on a $12,500 bail bond.

New Yorker Malignaggi – who has feuded with McGregor since the pair sparred together ahead of the Irishman’s mega-money crossover into the boxing world to face Floyd Mayweather in 2017 – wasted little time in getting a dig in.

“Yo @TheNotoriousMMA don't you think you rob your fans enough EVERYTIME they order 1 of your fights they gotta watch you get your ass kicked and quit?!

“If you need a phone that bad don't sweat it bro I'll just put you on my phone plan #NoBalls,” the ex-two weight world champ, 38, tweeted.

Malignaggi and McGregor fell out after footage was published showing the MMA star appearing to floor the boxer as they sparred in 2017, as McGregor was preparing to face Mayweather in Las Vegas.

The American disputed the claims, and has since been on a mission to prove himself against the man nicknamed ‘The Notorious.’

Malignaggi recently signed for the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) in the US, and earlier in March implored McGregor to “settle” their dispute with the gloves off.

“Conor the coward with 2 minute rounds I'm sure even YOU can't quit at this! Time to settle it,” Malignaggi tweeted.

Malignaggi racked up 36 wins in a 44-fight career spanning 16 years, although only seven of those came via knockout.

‘Magic Man’ will be hoping to hit with heavier hands when he makes his planned BKFC debut on June 20 against an as yet unnamed opponent.

There has also been talk he could face McGregor teammate Artem ‘The Russian Hammer’ Lobov, who recently made the switch from the UFC to BKFC.

Lobov makes his bareknuckle bow against Jason Knight in the headline fight at Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship 5 on April 6 at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum in Biloxi.

A bout against Lobov would perhaps be the next best thing for Malignaggi, short of taking on McGregor himself. 

Meanwhile, Malignaggi’s Twitter dig at McGregor was one of many as the MMA community reacted to the news that ‘The Notorious’ had been temporarily put behind bars.

UFC lightweight Jason Gordon warned McGregor “not to f*** around” in Florida, saying “it ain’t liberal NY.”   

McGregor was arrested in New York last year after attacking a bus carrying UFC fighters as he targeted Russia’s Khabib Nurmagomedov.

After the alleged Miami fracas, UFC welterweight Jorge Masvidal told McGregor not to “do some s*** in my city without asking permission first.”  

Twitter account ‘MMA Roasted’ mocked McGregor teammate Dillon Danis, often seen as basking in his more famous friend’s limelight.

McGregor's legal representatives said it was a “minor altercation,” and that the fighter “appreciates the response of law enforcement and pledges his full cooperation.”

The former UFC 'champ champ' himself posted a picture on Instagram showing him smiling in the back of a Miami Beach police car, as well as a separate picture with the message: "Patience in this world is a virtue I continue to work on. I love my fans dearly. Thank you all."

Whether he has the continued patience to tolerate more of Malignaggi's barbs is another matter.