Ben Askren: Conor McGregor ‘jealous’ of Khabib Nurmagomedov after latest scathing comments

Former UFC welterweight Ben Askren unleashed on Conor McGregor after McGregor’s mockery of Khabib Nurmagomedov’s legal troubles.

McGregor is set to return to the Octagon against Michael Chandler at UFC 303 on June 29. He’ll return after a three-year absence, months of speculation about his comeback, and his coaching appearance on The Ultimate Fighter.

Ahead of his UFC return, McGregor hosted a Q+A live stream in which he answered questions from fans and pundits. He was asked to weigh in on Nurmagomedov’s alleged tax debt in Russia, to which he admitted he was “ecstatic and delighted” by his former rival’s situation.

Askren, who called out Nurmagomedov during his brief UFC career, blasted McGregor for the comments.

Ben Askren: Conor McGregor “wishes he had respect” that Khabib garners

During a recent episode of Funky and the Champ with Daniel Cormier, Askren unloaded on McGregor for his ongoing mockery of Nurmagomedov.

“[Conor]’s going to be 80 years old and tagging Khabib [Nurmagomedov],” Askren said. “He’s jealous, of course! Absolutely, no doubt in my mind at all. He’s got all the money in the world, [but] deep down in his heart, what he wanted to be was the most respected fighting champion on planet Earth. No money can make up for that, that’s what Khabib is.

“Khabib is a fighting champion that everyone has a deep amount of respect for the way he lives his life, and Conor wishes he had that much respect for himself but he’s too busy with drugs and cocaine that he can’t control himself.”

As of this writing, McGregor hasn’t responded to Askren’s remarks, although it could be just a matter of time.

McGregor and Nurmagomedov’s careers will forever be linked after their UFC 229 clash. It was one of the most heated buildups in UFC history and featured a chaotic scene after Nurmagomedov won by submission.

McGregor and Nurmagomedov’s bad blood will likely never be thinned out. Askren believes McGregor’s hatred for Nurmagomedov stems from feelings of jealousy.