Wednesday 19 October 2016 19:34, UK
Gegard Mousasi has told Conor McGregor to stop acting like a "cry baby" following a recent Twitter exchange over comments made at UFC 204.
Iranian-born Dutchman Mousasi told the MMA Hour podcast that he received threatening messages on Twitter after he criticised the UFC featherweight champion following Mousasi's win over Vitor Belfort in Manchester.
McGregor has yet to respond to Mousasi's claims but the 31-year-old middleweight stands by his comments and believes 'Notorious' copied the social media blueprint of retired boxer Floyd Mayweather to increase his profile.
"They asked me a question about respect so I answered that with an example," he said. "McGregor dishes out so he has to take it. He shouldn't be a cry baby. He says a lot of things about everyone so he should be able to take it.
"He's a good fighter, but the way he promotes himself, he's cocky, he overdoes it, he has no class. I didn't say this before but now that he sent me that message [on Twitter] I say it.
"In the UFC 204 press conference, I said he copied Mayweather, that's exactly what he did. He didn't like it, so he responded and sent me a message then I responded. If you can dish it out then you should take it.
"Of course he's good for the sport, he promotes a fight. But does he overdo it? Does the fame get into his head? He can do whatever he wants but if you're in the spotlight, and you dish it out, then you shouldn't be a cry baby."
Mousasi also responded to middleweight champion Michael Bisping who recently said on the MMA Hour podcast that fighting the Dutchman would be "bad business".
However, Mousasi insists a fight against Bisping will happen eventually, where he believes he would be the favourite and says he disagreed with the judges scoring in the Englishman's recent title defence against Dan Henderson.
"The Bisping fight will happen sooner or later if he has the belt or not," Mousasi said. "I fought two times on the same card as Bisping and we were scheduled to fight in London [at UFC Fight Night 84].
"I would say he's a top six middleweight. I think if we fight, I would be the favourite.
"No one expected him to beat Luke Rockhold for the belt but he got a free pass because of Chris Weidman's injury. Against Henderson he showed heart, he had a bruised face.
"If you score the knockdown in the first round, it should be a 10-8 round so Henderson should have taken it."
