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UFC Star Conor McGregor Awkwardly Calls Out KSI for Bareknuckle Fight at AJ vs. Helenius Event

Nobody could have predicted Conor McGregor calling out a YouTuber in 2023.

Mathew Riddle

UFC Star Conor McGregor Awkwardly Calls Out KSI for Bareknuckle Fight at AJ vs. Helenius Event
UFC Star Conor McGregor Awkwardly Calls Out KSI for Bareknuckle Fight at AJ vs. Helenius Event /

Conor McGregor has called for a bareknuckle boxing match against YouTuber-turned boxing sensation KSI. McGregor made the awkward callout in the aftermath of Anthony Joshua vs. Robert Helenius on August 13 in London.

RELATED: Anthony Joshua Knocks Out Robert Helenius With One Punch

McGregor congratulated Joshua on his finish, and remarked that the crowd should be grateful for Helenius' performance as a last minute replacement. He then unexpectedly turned his attention to KSI, who was in the crowd:

"I know your man KSI is in the crowd, yeah? And he couldn't box eggs if he worked in an egg boxing factory," McGregor exclaimed. "So if he wants to get in here, I'll give him a final --- bareknuckle," McGregor stumbled on his words."--- if he wants."

The crowd didn't bite and McGregor took a few awkward steps back before pumping his fists.

The logistics of a McGregor vs. KSI showdown in bareknuckle is uncertain. McGregor remains under contract with the UFC, and he's also slated to face either Michael Chandler or Justin Gaethje for his return.

This callout comes at a dicey time for the UFC, who were recently shunned out of the Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg 'super fight', and promptly dropped deeper into the colossal antitrust lawsuit that's been plaguing them for the better part of a decade.

RELATED: UFC Officially Involved in Class-Action Lawsuit, Over $1.6B in Damages Possible

Is the callout an effort to save face as the UFC faces more and more negative PR? Or was it just an off-the-cuff moment from the notorious loose cannon McGregor?

KSI Reacts to Conor McGregor Bareknuckle Boxing Callout

KSI reacted in a Tweet on August 13, using McGregor's callout as an opportunity to mock long-time rival Jake Paul:

"Lmao just seen [the callout]. Jake Paul must be crying that I've got [Conor] on my d*** already and I didn't even have to fight an MMA fighter."

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Mathew Riddle
MATHEW RIDDLE

Mathew is a UK-based combat sports journalist, graphic designer, and SEO expert with over five years of experience in digital marketing and a dedicated four-year track record in MMA journalism. He joined MMAKO in 2023. Mathew's insights have been featured on The Fight Fanatic, Heavy on UFC, Fansided, and Sportskeeda. Reach him at mr@thefightfanatic.com.

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