Not only did Khabib Nurmagomedov best his archrival, Conor McGregor inside the Octagon — but according to new reports, the Dagestani champion is taking the fight with him on social media as well in terms of popularity. Both greats of the game had previously fought in 2018 at UFC 229, where Conor had become the 26th man Khabib had left behind in his wake.
Despite that defeat, the Irishman’s social media presence had never waned. In fact, McGregor has since managed to build his entire brand on social media since he’s only fought thrice after 2018. The superstar had regularly collaborated with businesses while also plugging his own Proper 12 Whiskey, earning in excess of €138,237 (approximately $135,000) per sponsored post in 2013. At the time, he had 46 million followers on Instagram.
In the aftermath of the fight, Khabib’s presence on social media had also compounded beyond anybody’s wildest belief, with the star’s Instagram handle having an additional 300-400 followers almost every 10 seconds. Within 24 hours of UFC 229, Khabib had gained an impressive 3 million followers on the Meta-owned platform.
Both their followers have since seen a steady rise.
However, according to a new report from Hafi Pro, as of February 22, 2025, McGregor’s numbers have taken an almighty tumble compared to Nurmagomedov’s. Currently boasting a sizeable 46,949,624 followers on Instagram, McGregor saw a whopping 735,945 users unfollow him in the last nine months alone.
On the other hand, Nurmagomedov has seen his follower count rise as high as 38,478,457 — seeing him gain a jaw-dropping 1,834,541 followers on Instagram – as he closes in on McGregor once more.
McGrgeor’s numbers are said to be been kicked off the cliff by his own fans after a civil court found him liable for sexual assault. It also came on the back of brands like Proper 12 cancelling their sponsorship deals with him amidst major public outcry.
The Irishman has also lost a lot of goodwill from the early days of his career to multiple cases of assaults and bigoted remarks on social media over the last few years.
McGregor’s controversial outbursts continue
McGregor has hit the headlines in recent weeks for a slew of outlandish posts – regarding a run for the Irish Presidency, as well as quips at the likes of compatriot, Paul Hughes, and his stance on immigration in Ireland.
Vowing to rid Dail Eireann of corruption if he is to take the reigns as the next President of the Republic of Ireland, McGregor’s efforts on social media to drum up support seem to have continually worked against his own interests.
Staking claim to end immigration to the Republic of Ireland in a host of incendiary and deplorable posts across his multiple platforms, McGregor has also been accused of igniting various right-wing protests, as well as gassing up rioters in Dublin at the end of 2023.
Furthermore, at the end of last year, the former UFC champion was found civilly liable for s*xually assaulting plaintiff, Nikita Hand during a trial in the High Court. The 36-year-old last week lodged an official appeal to the courts, maintaining his innocence despite the verdict reached in relation to the December 2018 incident.
Earlier this year to boot, McGregor engaged in a shocking war-of-words with past friend, PFL star, Hughes – questioning his allegiance and Irish identity given his birthplace of Derry in the country’s North.
Launching a tirade at Hughes for conversing with Khabib following his PFL Dubai headliner in January, McGregor branded the fan-favorite contender a “turncoat” and “pathetic” for apparently turning his back on his fellow countrymen and women. This led to widespread criticism of the fighter back home in Ireland, due to his apparent disregard for the violent history of the country against British colonialism.
While McGregor is yet to respond to the reports of his declining impression on the masses, he is expected to fire back with another outlandish insult aimed at Khabib.
