PANews reported on November 27th that, according to Cryptobriefing, UFC superstar Conor McGregor publicly criticized his arch-rival Khabib Nurmagomedov after the retired champion released a series of NFTs inspired by the traditional Dagestan leather hat, the "papakha," which gained fame due to his performance in the UFC. Social media reports indicate that the NFT series generated approximately $4.4 million in revenue after its release, and Nurmagomedov immediately deleted the promotional tweets after the sales concluded. McGregor immediately accused Nurmagomedov of committing a "fraud," claiming he exploited his late father's name and Dagestan culture to profit from fans before erasing all promotional evidence. He stated that this was a "disgrace and stain" on Nurmagomedov's father's legacy.

Nurmagomedov countered, calling McGregor a "fraud" and insisting that NFTs are legitimate "digital gifts" intended to promote tradition. He stated that McGregor was still trying to humiliate him years after losing their 2018 showdown. Furthermore, McGregor had previously dabbled in the cryptocurrency space, partnering with Real World Gaming DAO to launch the "REAL" meme coin, but the pre-sale failed to meet its targets, and the team ultimately refunded bidders.