Conor McGregor told he’ll ‘never be president’ after questioning Irish identity of Derry fighter

Conor McGregor has been told he will ‘never be president’ of Ireland by a fellow fighter whose Irish identity he questioned in a series of social media outbursts

Conor McGregor has been told he will never be the president of Ireland by a fellow fighter whose Irish identity he questioned. Paul Hughes is gearing up for his huge rematch with Usman Nurmagomedov, cousin of McGregor’s long-standing UFC nemesis Khabib, in Dubai next month. The Derry fighter endured just his second professional loss to the Russian earlier this year and will face him again for the PFL lightweight title on October 3.

After their initial bout in January, McGregor launched an attack on Hughes via social media, seemingly questioning his Irish heritage due to his Northern Irish origins. The former two-division UFC champion posted: “Get that flag off you, you little know what you are c*** from up there.”

He then added another provocative remark, writing: “Up the real Irish. F*** these vermin f***s.”

The Dublin star’s tirade followed footage surfacing of Hughes remarking about McGregor: “I’m not like this other guy. I’m my own man,” reports the Irish Mirror.

Discussing his upcoming rematch with Nurmagomedov, Hughes revealed to The Irish Mirror that he viewed McGregor’s remarks “with a pinch of salt”.

“There’s nothing more disrespectful to say to an Irishman than you’re not Irish,” Hughes explained. “I mean it doesn’t get any worse than that.

“But I take it with a pinch of salt. I don’t believe it’s the same Conor that we once knew so I don’t view him as the same guy and don’t take it that personally.

“I think he’s obviously unfortunately got some issues there. It is what it is. The comments were made, I don’t think about it too much to be honest. I’m past it.”

When pressed on whether this meant he wouldn’t be backing him for Irish president, Hughes chuckled: “That day is never going to come. Don’t worry!”.

Meanwhile, McGregor says he will deliver a message at a ‘location of significance’ on Thursday, writing on X on Wednesday: “I will deliver a message tomorrow at a location of significance. The beginning of a multitude of such messages. I will not announce where, as my reason for running is not to bring undue stress or panic to the lives of good standing, law abiding, hard working citizens of Ireland. But to relieve us of such! Put the kettle on Ireland, and relax, a message from McGregor! IRELAND I LOVE YOU FOREVER!”.

This comes after we disclosed that none of the nation’s 31 local councils have submitted a nomination for any presidential candidate, despite McGregor’s assertion that he has “councils on board” for an Áras bid.