The McGregor-Khabib NFT Scandal: When Crypto Accusations Turn the Tables

The UFC rivalry between Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov has officially entered the blockchain arena. What started as mutual accusations about digital token schemes has evolved into a credibility battle, with on-chain investigator ZachXBT throwing the ultimate counter-punch.

The Papakha NFT Controversy Explodes

In late November, Khabib Nurmagomedov launched “Papakha” – an NFT collection featuring digital representations of the traditional Dagestani sheepskin hat iconic to his fighting legacy. The numbers were impressive: 29,000 NFTs sold out in just 25 hours, generating millions of dollars in revenue.

But here’s where things get murky. Shortly after the sold-out success, Nurmagomedov scrubbed all promotional content from his social media accounts. The abrupt deletion didn’t go unnoticed – and it became ammunition for his longtime rival.

McGregor’s “Good Guy” Gambit Backfires

Seizing the moment, McGregor took to X with a scathing post, questioning how Khabib could leverage his deceased father Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov’s memory and Dagestani cultural heritage to promote what he characterized as a dubious token scheme. McGregor sarcastically asked: how could “good guy Khabib” use his family’s legacy to scam followers, then vanish the evidence?

Nurmagomedov’s camp fired back immediately, dismissing McGregor as a liar and defending the NFTs as legitimate “exclusive digital gifts with authentic value” rooted in cultural preservation.

ZachXBT Reveals the Irony

Hours later, ZachXBT – the blockchain investigator known for exposing crypto fraud – dropped a bombshell response. But instead of taking sides, the on-chain sleuth flipped McGregor’s own accusation back at him, using identical language: could we really believe “good guy McGregor” would exploit his own reputation and Irish heritage to mislead fans through digital tokens?

The evidence? A 2022 NFT venture called “McGregor Realm” that McGregor had actively promoted. The parallel was too stark to ignore: both fighters had monetized cultural symbols and personal brands through NFT projects, yet one was calling out the other for doing exactly the same thing.

The saga exposed a uncomfortable truth in the celebrity crypto space: the line between legitimate digital collectibles and perceived cash grabs remains dangerously blurred.