Conor McGregor has told Ryan Garcia’s detractors to “stay out of our ears” before praising the 25-year-old after he shocked the boxing world by claiming a majority decision victory against Devin Haney in Brooklyn Saturday.
Chaos ensued at the Barclays Center stadium after the boxer, whose strange and worrying antics in the lead-up to the fight had worried many within the sport, knocked the WBC super lightweight champion to the canvas three times.
Before the fight, the California native was seen preparing in his locker room with a string quartet playing in the background. Garcia also posted a video of boxing legend Mike Tyson, who will face Jake Paul in July, stopping by his dressing room to wish him good luck.
After the fight, McGregor posted several photos of himself greeting Garcia backstage and praised the former WBC interim lightweight champion on X (formerly Twitter) for his performance.
‘Yes, Jesus and the session!’ wrote the former UFC champion. ‘You know everything, peasants, stay out of our ears!’
Conor McGregor praised Ryan Garcia on social media after his victory against Devin Haney
The former UFC champion was seen shaking hands with Garcia backstage during the night.
McGregor sent a message to the 25-year-old’s detractors by writing ‘stay out of our ears’ on X
‘Well, in García. An incredible fight of two champions! They have already fought each other 7 times! That is incredible.
‘Some are simply born to fight! Some are not. If you’re not sure you’re a good picker because I’m hungry.’
UFC President Dana White announced last week at UFC 300 that McGregor would make his long-awaited return to the Octagon against Michael Chandler in a big showdown in June at UFC 303.
It will be almost three years since the 35-year-old last fought on the professional fighting circuit, suffering a horrific leg fracture against Dustin Poirier.
Afterwards, the former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion praised both fighters for what was an exciting bout.
‘God be with both the men and the teams in this crazy world and congratulations to Ryan García!’ he added. ‘Tonight is your night, when he fought Tank I knew this guy was electric. Even in defeat.
“I went backstage after he got busted last time. Only people close to him were present.
McGregor was also seen posing front row with a bottle of his ‘Proper No 12’ whiskey.
Mike Tyson stopped by Ryan Garcia’s locker room before his surprising victory over Devin Haney
‘For me, a win or a loss will never make or break a person. When you know it, you know it. The fighters know it. The true knowledge. God knows!
Now the real fight is also for the young man! Stay strong kid, believe in the Lord’s guidance and keep it tight like frogs** in Versace boy lol yeah! Well in!
‘Jesus is King so don’t go against what He tells you personally and internally. Keep it up and good luck, brother.’
Garcia had raised questions about his behavior in the run-up to the fight and had agreed to pay Haney $500,000 for every pound he was overweight, costing him $1.5 million. His failure to make the weight limit also meant that he was ineligible to claim Haney’s WBC welterweight title that night.
Garcia scored a surprising majority decision victory Saturday night at the Barclays Center.
Garcia took down Haney three times and earned a surprising victory in Brooklyn on Saturday.
His erratic and worrying posts on social media in recent months had also raised concerns about whether this fight would go ahead. In March, Garcia claimed he was dead after his “throat was cut,” prompting calls to cancel the fight.
He was also involved in a verbal altercation with an audience member at Thursday’s pre-fight press conference, following an expletive-laden rant.
After his victory, Garcia criticized his detractors, stating that they had “exaggerated everything” and claimed that he had “broken Haney’s jaw” during the fight.
‘Did you really think I was crazy? You all lost your minds. You guys exaggerate everything,” he said after the fight.
“I heard my reputation was at stake, everyone thought I was crazy,” he said.
‘Am I tripping?’ Garcia asked reporters. You’re always tripping. I don’t. You guys are tripping. I was the one who really had sanity because I was like, “Hey, they’re hurting other kids.” Let’s help them.”