Conor ‘The Notorious’ McGregor, one of the biggest names in ultimate fighting, appears to be doing much better with his brutal rivals that with ‘fluffly fur balls’.
The Irishman, who visited Moscow this week to announce a comeback to the octagon and once again tease for a rematch with Khabib, appeared on a Russian late-night talk show, where he was asked to show his intense-eye-staring skills.
He did well out-staring the host, but had trouble defeating a guinea pig, a puppy and a kitty. Each time Conor faced off against the animals (to his credit, they were really cute) he would give in and try to pet them with a broad smile on his face.
After the host then brandished a roly-poly toy, Conor said: “This one I can do”. He did indeed.
A follow-up staredown with a mirror lasted for a couple of seconds, before Conor made a face at himself and lost (time code 17:30 for mobile phone users).
Conor’s appearance in Moscow created quite a stir on Thursday, when hundreds of fans chased his car down the street after a press conference. Speaking to reporters, the Irishman made several offensive remarks about Dagestan, the home region of his nemesis Khabib Nurmagomedov, and called him a coward. Dagestan is a region of Russia to the west of the Caspian Sea.
Later that day, the posh Ritz Carlton hotel where he stayed was put on a security lockdown after a few dozen men, presumably Dagestanis, gathered outside to get answers from Conor.
The Notorious had sought a rematch with Khabib ever since his humiliating defeat in Las Vegas last October. Khabib has repeatedly refused to fight McGregor again, but the Russian grappler’s father said his son may face McGregor in Moscow after all, but only after a fight with Tony Ferguson, which has not yet been booked.
