Machine Gun Kelly has doubled down on his criticism of Conor McGregor, refusing to walk back his remarks in a statement shared on Instagram.
The rapper posted a photo of McGregor attempting to hit him at a previous red carpet event. He used it to mock the fighter’s knee injury that cut his comeback fight short. When fans pushed back and urged him to apologize for comments about McGregor’s age and appearance, MGK responded with a blunt and unapologetic statement.
“Knees weak of old age the real Conor can’t stand up,” MGK wrote in his first post. He then followed up with a second message making his position clear.
“I’m aware I did a post yesterday and I should probably apologize for… Absolutely nothing hommie. F*ck this dude. That’s how beef works. We don’t like each other,” he said.
Addressing the criticism that he had commented on McGregor’s age, MGK pushed back on the comparison and expanded on the history between the two.
“Everyone is saying, ‘Oh you commented on his age. He’s only one year older than you.’ Guess what? We don’t age the same. My knees are awesome. ‘Oh you didn’t say to his face.’ I already did. That’s why that picture exists of that leprechaun punching up and missing and me not flinching. Where the f*ck is the rest of that footage where we toss this little guy like a peace of dirty draws across the red carpet,” he continued.
He then turned his attention to McGregor’s appearance and his recent fight performance.
“Buddy, you look like a drunk ugly extra in a Sherlock Holmes movie. What in the 1934 am I looking at? Fix your face. … Thank you for the walkout being longer than the fight,” MGK added.
MGK’s latest salvo is rooted in a rivalry that has been building for years. The timing — just hours after one of the most painful nights of McGregor’s career — made the dig land all the harder.
McGregor’s return came at UFC 329 on July 11, where he faced Max Holloway in a highly anticipated rematch after five years away from the octagon. The fight ended in devastating fashion in just over a minute. McGregor threw a jump kick early in the bout, his knee gave out, and referee Mike Beltran stopped the contest. UFC president Dana White confirmed that doctors suspect a torn ACL, a diagnosis that puts McGregor’s fighting future in serious doubt. McGregor later addressed the injury, writing, “My head gasket is gone, destroyed,” while insisting he had no prior injuries heading into the fight.
The feud between MGK and McGregor traces back to the 2021 MTV VMAs red carpet in Brooklyn, where the two first clashed publicly. McGregor, who was recovering from a broken leg sustained at UFC 264, allegedly approached MGK for a photo. MGK denied the request and his security pushed McGregor away. The situation quickly escalated. McGregor lunged at the rapper, threw a drink, and had to be separated by security — an incident captured on video and widely circulated at the time.
MGK wasted no time in reviving that history after UFC 329. He posted an Instagram carousel mocking McGregor’s loss and injury just hours after the fight concluded. He also addressed the feud directly during a livestream on July 12, firing off a fresh round of personal attacks that went well beyond the initial age-related jab. The posts reignited a years-long rivalry that had largely simmered in the background, bringing it back into the spotlight at one of McGregor’s most vulnerable moments.
The broader cultural moment has drawn attention from across the sports and entertainment world, with other public figures also weighing in on McGregor’s UFC 329 performance. MGK has been the most vocal and pointed in his criticism. He has used social media to ensure his message reached the widest possible audience. With McGregor facing a lengthy rehabilitation and no next fight on the horizon, MGK appears content to let his posts do the talking — and has made clear he has no intention of softening his stance.
