LOS ANGELES – Ali Abdelaziz and Conor McGregor aren’t exactly friends.
The two men have been on opposite sides of many arguments, and some have gotten borderline physical. Time and time again, longtime Khabib Nurmagomedov manager Abdelaziz has voiced his issues with the former UFC dual champion.
At a media day for Dominance MMA held at Tyson Ranch, Abdelaziz cleared the air on a number of topics, including his feelings on the Irishman. Despite having the reputation among some as being confrontational at times, Abdelaziz said his mindset is now hate-free.
“I’m the realest and I believe I’m as real as they come,” Abdelaziz told MMA Junkie. “If I have a problem with you, you know it. But it doesn’t mean I have to hate you. I do not hate anyone. Even after this Conor situation, I don’t hate Conor McGregor. I don’t hate his team or his management. I don’t hate nobody.”
While Abdelaziz emphasized his lack of “hate” for anyone, the Egyptian manager emphasized he still lacks respect for McGregor (21-4 MMA, 9-2 UFC).
Abdelaziz thinks McGregor has been dodging a matchup with one of his clients, Justin Gaethje (21-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC). He also accused McGregor of having avoided Frankie Edgar when Jose Aldo pulled out of UFC 189 in July 2015.
“Conor McGregor – I don’t really care about this guy or what he does with his career,” Abdelaziz said. “He’s probably in Ireland brushing toilets. I don’t give a flying you-know-what. I don’t really care about him. The whole thing is he should have fought Frankie Edgar five years ago. He chose Chad Mendes when Chad Mendes (was) coming off of a four- or five-day camp. Frankie Edgar will still whoop your ass any day of the week, boy. Don’t ever forget that.”
Abdelaziz then questioned numerous facets of McGregor’s mental and physical abilities. The UFC is trying to squeeze the last drops out of a past-prime McGregor, Abdelaziz said. He accused not only McGregor, but his teammates of lacking the heart necessary to succeed.
“You can’t wrestle for (expletive),” Abdelaziz said. “You don’t have heart. You don’t have charisma. Don’t get it twisted. (If) I don’t hate you, it doesn’t mean I don’t respect you, 100 percent. He answers to everybody. He answered to Frankie. He answered to Poirier. He answered to everybody out there. The one guy he didn’t answer to is Justin Gaethje. We know what Justin Gaethje does to people. Justin gives you his soul or he takes your soul. But guess what? Khabib already took his soul.
“Guys, Conor McGregor is done. The UFC is trying to figure out how they can cash out of him because he’s still one of the biggest stars in the sport. We can’t deny him. But the man has no soul, he has no heart and he’s got no cojones. I believe this is something he and his whole team have, (excluding) a couple guys. It’s the culture. The culture here? Everybody’s gangsters. The culture there? Everybody give up. That’s it.”
Watch Dominance CEO Ali Abdelaziz dish on numerous topics, including McGregor, Anthony Johnson, accusations made by Colby Covington, fighter unionization and more in the video above.
