‘Someone smack him’: McGregor threatens to break ‘rat’ reporter’s nose over Obama remark, taunts Nurmagomedov ahead of UFC 264

UFC badboy Conor McGregor has threatened to break a pink-suited journalist's nose at a heated press conference ahead of his fight with Dustin Poirier this weekend following a wisecrack about the Irishman's recent fighting history.

Tensions are running high for the headline event between the pair in Las Vegas, which completes a trilogy tied at 1-1 and has already seen McGregor trying to goad his rival by involving Poirier's wife in their back-and-forths.

But the 32-year-old has also been involved in a war of words with the media.

At the last media event to promote the pay-per-view fight yesterday, McGregor didn't appreciate a couple of smart remarks from one journalist in attendance regarding his recent 3-3 legacy. 

Wearing a bring pink suit, the reporter began by saying: "Conor, I’ve got a question for you. You have won exactly one fight since Barack Obama was president."

Before he was allowed to finish his question, a furious McGregor butted in.

"Shut your mouth before I come down and smash your nose in," McGregor seethed.

"I’ll smash your nose in you little rat. Someone smack him. Someone smack him," he demanded.

The journalist was finally allowed to finish his piece by asking: "He sent you to a place where time doesn’t exist six months ago. We want to know, why should anyone expect anything different this Saturday?,"

Responding to a backdrop of huge cheers from an adoring crowd, McGregor responded: "It’s one more fight I’ve won than your little sh*tty ass."

As cheeky as he was, the journalist was technically correct. Since beating Eddie Alvarez to become featherweight and lightweight champion in November 2016, days after Donald Trump won the general election to ensure that he would succeed Obama the following January, McGregor has won just a single bout against gatekeeper Donald Cerrone in January last year.

That, however, must be viewed in its context. Upon becoming the UFC's first double-champion, McGregor stepped away from the octagon to face Floyd Mayweather in a boxing bout that made him over $100 million.

The fight kept him away from MMA for just under two years, and his first fight back, without a tune-up, was a gruesome submission loss to all-time great candidate Khabib Nurmagomedov.

The now-retired 29-0 Russian also goaded McGregor by writing on Instagram: "There is nothing better in this sport than bringing your opponent to the deep ocean, letting them know what they're about, and letting them tap."

It came in reply to an ESPN post made on another interesting comment from the 32-year-old, who counts his record in a different way to most. 

In an interview with Stephen A Smith, McGregor said: "My record in mixed martial arts competition is 19 wins and one loss. I only count knockouts. I only count knockouts.

"Dustin’s record is 13 wins, two losses. The only thing that’s final in this business is a knockout.

"All the other things – the decisions, the taps – all that sh*t means nothing to me."

Speaking separately to BT Sport, McGregor also went some way to reigniting the rivalry by commenting of the Dagestani: "I don't really give a f*ck about that guy, to be honest with you.

"I mean, he ran, he's gone. What did he do? He didn't do f*ck all in the sport, in my opinion.

"Three wins on the trot before that he pulled out and everything. Had a little run and dipped out, showed his true character.

"It's not like I wasn't surprised – he scurried away like the little rat that he is. So I'm not even concerned," McGregor insisted.

Currently at a career crossroads, McGregor must beat Poirier to get a shot at current champion Charles Oliveira, with reclaiming the belt his only realistic chance of coaxing Khabib out of retirement for a bad-blooded rematch.