Khabib Nurmagomedov: "I will drown Gaethje"

UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov will be defending his belt against Justin Gaethje at UFC 254 in October.

Many believe that Gaethje will present a hitherto unseen challenge for Khabib: a solid boxer with stellar defensive wrestling.

Nurmagomedov himself, of course, disagrees. “Justin is a very nice guy and a good opponent for me,” Khabib said in an Instagram post, before adding “I’m not Dustin or Tony. I will take him to the deepest ocean and drown him InshaAllah.”

The laconic post was characteristic of the undefeated Russian. However, former lightweight champion Conor McGregor also chimed in, posting to Twitter, “In other words, ‘I’m going to be running around the outside of the cage, [expletive] my pants. And within the first ten seconds of the fight I’m diving at his legs for a good whiff of his jockstrap.’”

McGregor’s post was later deleted.