Paul Felder Calls Out Conor McGregor: Irish Fans Are Turning On You

UFC lightweight contender Paul Felder believes the Irish fans are turning on Conor McGregor.

McGregor hasn’t competed since his submission defeat to Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229 last year. Since then, the Irishman has been in the news for reasons unrelated to fighting and mostly having to do with trouble with the law.

And Felder — who is an Irish-American — believes all those issues are affecting McGregor’s fanbase back home. He also proceeded to challenge him to fight him next.

“You’re representing Ireland and you got all these Irish fans behind you but I think they’re turning on you,” Felder said in a TMZ interview (via BJ Penn). “If you want to fight somebody’s who’s got that Irish blood in him too who’s an American, why don’t you fight an Irish American? Let’s get the Irish American vs. the real Irishman and see who’s tougher. Our family came over here and bred in America. We’re a lot stronger and tougher. We got a little mixed blood going on here.

“So if you think you’ve got the chin and the toughness to beat somebody like me, let’s go. You think that left hand is dynamite, I guarantee you can’t put me down with it.”

In reality, it’s unlikely McGregor faces Felder for what is looking likely to be a return to the Octagon in January. Justin Gaethje and Donald Cerrone are more realistic options at this point.

Regardless, do you agree with Felder that McGregor’s Irish fans are turning on him?