McGregor deletes insult aimed at Russian star

Conor McGregor hasn't been seen in the cage for more than a year but that hasn't stopped him from taking aim at his UFC rivals after he tweeted (and subsequently deleted) a vile insult at Russian title challenger Islam Makhachev.

McGregor is known for being one of the more silver-tongued fighters in combat sports history but has been known to get himself into an array of trouble for some of his more egregious statements, and despite coming up second-best in his heated rivalry with Khabib Nurmagomedov, McGregor has taken to lobbing verbal bombs at the man considered to be Khabib's successor. 

In the since deleted tweet, McGregor appeared to suggest that Makhachev's parents were cousins - but later thought better of it and removed it from his official Twitter page. 

McGregor has been a frequent purveyor of the tweet-and-delete strategy online, though it remains unknown if he is persuaded to remove the offensive messaging by members of his team or if he simply decides to himself. 

For all his outspokenness, McGregor remains linked to several large brands and was recently confirmed as having a starring role in the upcoming 'Road House' reboot of the popular 1980's action movie. 

Hollywood has traditionally taken a dim view of negative press associated with the stars of their various projects, though it remains speculation if producer Joel Silver would be uneasy with some of McGregor's various statements.

Others, though, have suggested that McGregor is attempting to position himself for a crack at Makhachev once he returns from the serious leg injury he suffered in the Octagon last year against Dustin Poirier. 

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"Conor is gearing up to make a super fight against Islam if he wins in October," wrote one fan online.

Makhachev is scheduled to contest the vacant UFC lightweight title against Charles Oliveira in Abu Dhabi in October - with Makhachev being critical of his foe for stating in the media that he would have preferred to have been booked against the Irishman. 

“Charles is very good, he has a good win streak, he beat a lot of tough opponents, but for me, it’s embarrassing when the UFC lightweight champion asks for someone like Nate Diaz or Conor McGregor, who [last] won like five years ago,” he said to ESPN's DC & RC.

“This is embarrassing because he said Islam has to fight one more time or something like this. But UFC told him, ‘Hey if you do not take this fight, we’re going to give the chance to Michael Chandler.’ That’s why he took this fight.”