Daniel Cormier Recalls Wanting to Slap Conor McGregor Over 'Disrespectful' Trash Talk

The UFC Hall of Famer says McGregor's 'ghetto hillbilly' comment really got under his skin.

Feb. 5, 2026 at 4:39am

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Daniel Cormier, the former dual-weight UFC champion, recently recalled an instance in 2014 when Conor McGregor's trash talk really bothered him. Cormier said McGregor called his fellow Louisiana native Dustin Poirier a 'hillbilly', and when Cormier asked what that made him since he's from the same place, McGregor responded 'you're a ghetto hillbilly.' Cormier said he 'wanted to slap' McGregor for the disrespectful comment, even though he couldn't get to McGregor's 145-pound weight class.

Why it matters

This story highlights the long history of trash talk and animosity between top fighters in the UFC. While Cormier and McGregor never fought, their verbal sparring shows the intense rivalries that can develop in the world of MMA. It also speaks to the power of words to provoke strong emotional reactions, even from seasoned veterans like Cormier.

The details

In 2014, Conor McGregor was fighting Dustin Poirier, who is also from Lafayette, Louisiana like Cormier. McGregor called Poirier a 'hillbilly', prompting Cormier to ask what that made him since he's from the same place. McGregor then responded by calling Cormier a 'ghetto hillbilly', which really bothered the former UFC champion. Cormier said he 'wanted to slap' McGregor for the disrespectful comment, even though he couldn't get down to McGregor's 145-pound weight class.

  • In 2014, the incident between Cormier and McGregor occurred.

The players

Daniel Cormier

A former dual-weight UFC champion and UFC Hall of Famer who engaged in plenty of trash talk during his legendary MMA career, most famously with rival Jon Jones.

Conor McGregor

An Irish MMA fighter who is known for his brash personality and trash talking. He has not fought since breaking his leg in a trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier in 2021.

Dustin Poirier

An MMA fighter from Lafayette, Louisiana who was the target of Conor McGregor's 'hillbilly' insult that prompted Cormier's reaction.

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What they’re saying

“There was a few, but some of them hurt. You know what one was bad? Conor McGregor. Conor McGregor was fighting Dustin Poirier, and Dustin Poirier and I are both from Lafayette, Louisiana. And he called Dustin a hillbilly. He's Irish, man. So, he don't know how disrespectful he is, or maybe he does.”

— Daniel Cormier, Former UFC Champion

“I said, 'If Dustin's a hillbilly and I am from the same place as him, what does that make me?' He said, 'You're ghetto hillbilly.'”

— Daniel Cormier, Former UFC Champion

“I wanted to slap him, man. That was the one, cause I am from the ghetto, too. I was like, Oh my god, how does he know? It doesn't matter how many nice things I'm wearing, how does he know?”

— Daniel Cormier, Former UFC Champion

What’s next

Conor McGregor is hoping to make his long-awaited UFC comeback at the UFC White House event in June 2026, but first he needs to negotiate a new contract with the promotion after their $7.7 billion broadcast deal with Paramount essentially voided his previous agreement.

The takeaway

This story highlights the intense rivalries and trash talk that can develop between top fighters in the UFC, even those who never actually fought each other. It shows how powerful words can be in provoking strong emotional reactions, even from seasoned veterans like Daniel Cormier.