Some feuds never really die—they just wait for the perfect moment to reignite. Machine Gun Kelly proved that on Saturday night when Conor McGregor’s UFC 329 fight against Max Holloway ended in catastrophic fashion: a torn ACL just seconds into the bout. Most people offered sympathy. MGK? He saw an opening.
The beef between these two dates back to the 2021 VMAs, when McGregor threw a punch at the rapper on the red carpet. For years, it seemed like old news—McGregor even said afterward that he wanted MGK at his next fight, playing it off as no big deal. But that wasn’t the full story, and MGK made sure everyone knew it this past weekend.
Right after McGregor’s injury-plagued loss, the rapper took to Instagram with a shot that felt calculated: knees weak of old age the real conor can’t stand up. A reference to McGregor’s failed fighting stance and his age, paired with a throwback pic of their 2021 encounter. It was the opening salvo, and MGK wasn’t done.
A day later, he doubled down with a full explanation that left no room for interpretation: I’m aware I did a post yesterday and I should probably apologize for absolutely nothing, homie. F*** this dude. That’s how beef works. We don’t like each other. What followed was a relentless barrage—MGK did a whole dance to mock McGregor’s supposedly weak knees, dropped a Sherlock Holmes insult (Buddy, you look like a drunk, ugly extra in a Sherlock Holmes movie), and kept firing even during a bathroom break. He mocked McGregor’s hairline, called the ten-second fight the worst he’d ever seen, and made it abundantly clear that the old red carpet moment was never water under the bridge.
What’s fascinating here isn’t just the intensity of the diss track—it’s the timing. McGregor is injured, vulnerable, and at a low point. MGK could’ve let it slide, played the bigger person, moved on. Instead, he chose to lean in and remind everyone that McGregor threw a punch at him five years ago, and he’s been waiting for a moment like this to settle the score publicly. It’s petty, sure. It’s also brutally honest about how feuds actually work in the celebrity world: they simmer, they resurface, and they don’t end just because one person says it’s all love.
McGregor says he’ll need surgery and hopes to return to fighting eventually. But in the court of social media, the damage is already done—and MGK made sure to get the last word.
About the Author
Ava Hart
Ava Hart is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.
