Conor McGregor has issued a warning to Tony Ferguson, who is expected to battle Justin Gaethje for the UFC interim lightweight title on May 9.

McGregor addressed Ferguson on Instagram on Friday afternoon, shortly after Ferguson made a statement by making weight for the canceled UFC 249 card — the original setting of his fight with Gaethje.

Hahahajaj. You will be bet to the absolute nucleus pulposus when I get you, kid. pic.twitter.com/2svBMZW5Wj

— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) April 17, 2020

‘Hahahajaj. You will be bet to the absolute nucleus pulposus when I get you, kid.”

While it’s clear McGregor is threatening Ferguson, it’s not completely clear what he means. We can probably assume that by “bet,” he means “beat.” As for the term “nucleus pulposus,” well, a quick Google search reveals that is “the inner core of the vertebral disc.”

So, it’s probably safe to infer that McGregor is telling Ferguson he intends to beat him very severely if they fight.

McGregor and Ferguson have long stood as two of the top lightweights in the world. McGregor previously held the division’s undisputed title, but was ultimately stripped for inactivity. Ferguson, meanwhile, briefly held the division’s interim lightweight belt, which he won with a submission defeat of Kevin Lee.

Despite the time McGregor and Ferguson have spent at the top of the lightweight division, they’ve never shared the cage before. In fact, they’ve never even been booked to fight each other.

As aforementioned, Ferguson currently has his hands full with a planned interim title fight with Justin Gaethje, which serves as a consolation prize after his planned fight with Khabib Nurmagomedov fell through for a fifth time.

Conor McGregor, meanwhile, doesn’t currently have a fight book, but will likely be chomping at the bit when the coronavirus pandemic subsides.

What do you make of McGregor’s comment to Ferguson?

This article first appeared on BJPENN.com on 4/17/2020.