Over the last few days, the animosity between Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov has reached a boiling point, as the two lightweight stars have bombarded each other trash talk widely deemed to be a step too far.
Conor McGregor, for example, made several comments thought to be grossly insensitive toward the muslim faith, while Khabib Nurmagomedov flat-out called McGregor a rapist amid the sexual assault accusations the Irishman is currently facing.
Speaking on Twitter, former UFC featherweight champion Cris Cyborg shared her belief that the UFC should implement a code of conduct the same way that other sports leagues have. This, she feels, would help taper the kind of virulent trash talk we’ve been seeing from Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor of the last few days.
Cyborg feels this is important due to the increased visibility of the UFC since the promotion began broadcasting on ESPN.
“Sometimes I wish athletes in the @ufc were held to a code of conduct similar to athletes in the @nfl@nba@mlb For The things they say online. Now that the sports is on @ESPN we are in the homes of more kids! We need to unite not divide…this is what sports are for!” – Cris Cyborg on Twitter.
While this suggestion from Cris Cyborg is likely to be well-received by many members of the MMA community, UFC President Dana White seems content to handle this out-of-control Conor McGregor – Khabib Nurmagomedov beef internally.
“I’m aware of the recent social media exchange between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor,” White said in a statement to Yahoo! Sports. “The ongoing situation has escalated to a level that is unacceptable. As such, we are taking the necessary steps to reach out to both athlete camps and this situation is being addressed by all parties internally.”
What do you make of the ongoing trash talk between Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov? Do you think this suggestion from Cris Cyborg could be the solution?
This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 4/4/2019.