Conor McGregor faces criticism after online rap battle

"Stupid" and "relax there pimples" were among the insults traded between Conor McGregor and Scott Moore, also known as Scomo

An unlikely war of words has been brewing for days on X, formerly Twitter, between mixed martial artist Conor McGregor and a battle rapper from Strabane in County Tyrone.

McGregor has faced widespread criticism for attacking the disabilities and religion of Scott Moore, aka Scomo.

And former GAA player Joe Brolly described it as "terrible cruelty and bullying of a vulnerable person".

There's been a lot going on - here's the lowdown.

To understand where it all started, you have to go back a few weeks.

Conor McGregor has recently faced criticism for his political remarks on social media.

Just one day before a large riot broke out in Dublin, Mr McGregor posted on X - "Ireland, we are at war".

That post was viewed almost 19 million times and many accused the former UFC champion of raising xenophobic tensions in the Republic of Ireland.

The former UFC world champion has faced backlash for his remarks on social media

Tánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) Micheál Martin even described those types of comments as "disgraceful" and said they were "essentially inciting hate".

In the following days, McGregor continued to post his views on what he described as failed policies on housing, immigration, the health service and national security.

As he faced further criticism from both politicians and social media users, the fighter claimed there had been an attempt to "scapegoat" him.

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On Monday, McGregor teased the prospect of an Irish presidency campaign.

Outlining political heavyweights Gerry Adams, Bertie Ahern and Enda Kenny as his hypothetical competition, the fighter described himself as a "young, active" alternative who would hold political parties to account, measured by public feeling.

"I'd even put it all to vote. There'd be votes every week to make sure. I can fund. It would not be me in power as president, people of Ireland. It would be me and you," he wrote.

Enter the ring: Scomo.

After describing the fighter as "stupid", because the Irish presidency is a ceremonial role and presidents can't call votes, Strabane artist Scott Moore was surprised to receive a reply.

"Relax there pimples, you are a little broke 'battle rapper'," Conor McGregor wrote.

Scott Moore, also known as Scomo, has been involved in the battle rap scene since 2018

"I have a mental health condition where I compulsively pick my skin. I'm also autistic, I've used battle rap to stand up for disabled folk. If you want to battle DM [direct message] me. On cam. Unless you're scared of a fella with pimples bodying you for the world to see," Scomo quipped back.

What followed was a heated, and at times surreal, exchange as both men posted insulting videos and voice notes online.

'Keyboard warrior'

Battle rap is the exchange of insults between two or more performers. The genre has evolved over the last 40 years. Nowadays, the majority of battle raps are prewritten, rehearsed and performed acapella for three, 90-second rounds.

With years of battle experience behind him, Scomo said he was prepared to take on McGregor.

Battle rap often involves performing insulting jabs about your opponent in order to outrap them

"If you want to come with your 10 million followers, and you want to pick on ordinary members of the public… You shouldn't be surprised whenever one [of them] bites back and suddenly you've bitten off more than you can chew," he told the BBC's The Nolan Show.

The rapper said he was "calling his bluff" by continuing the exchange.

"Battle rap these days is not so much freestyle, it's pre-written, we don't have instrumentals but it's really well thought out and there's a real art and a real craft to what we do," he said.

"Conor McGregor wants to come in and make a joke out of our art form… he can see me on stage but he's too shook to do that, he'd rather hide up in his gold palace and be a keyboard warrior."

'Chip on his shoulder'

While battle rap is noted for its insults and expletives, some people have questioned the language later used by Conor McGregor as he described Scomo as a "mentally disabled weakling" and an "Orange [Protestant] [expletive] from across the border".

Former GAA player and pundit Joe Brolly was quick to call out the Irishman's choice of words.

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"Conor McGregor picking on Scott Moore, an autistic man from the North, calling him "an Orange [expletive]" and taunting him: 'You little freak... little weirdo... you're not well... get help go to a doctor'. Terrible cruelty and bullying of a vulnerable person," Mr Brolly wrote on X.

Discussing the incident, Scomo described the fighter's insults as "very juvenile".

"I'm an Irish citizen as well as him, he seems to have this chip on his shoulder against people from the north," he said.

'See me on stage'

Dublin-born Conor McGregor has not fought in the UFC since he suffered a broken leg while fighting against Dustin Poirier in July 2021.

But that's not to say his battle days are over just yet.

Although McGregor has now blocked the rapper on X and deleted his previous posts, Scomo is keen for round two.

"People want to talk me down but I'm ready for it, I'm game. See me on stage."