Conor McGregor has accused Khabib Nurmagomedov of "pulling the wool over people's eyes" and criticised his rival for not being a "true fighter".
The Irishman is still seeking a rematch with the unbeaten lightweight, who retired in December with a UFC record of 29-0 to keep a promise to his family.
Nurmagomedov beat McGregor in the UFC's biggest-ever pay-per-view clash in 2018, which preceded an unsavoury post-fight brawl, but has so far refused to consider facing him again inside the Octagon.
UFC president Dana White held talks with Nurmagomedov on Friday about the prospect of him coming out of retirement for a lucrative rematch, but McGregor feels the Russian is running scared. "I think he's afraid to fight me.
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