Even during a setback, expect Conor McGregor to deliver a standout moment. Making a return to the cage five years after consecutive losses to Dustin Poirier, the Irish superstar fought Max Holloway in a rematch. However, the attempt ended disastrously when McGregor injured his knee, resulting in the bout being stopped just 69 seconds into the opening round.

With Holloway winning by TKO and McGregor suffering an injury, the latter’s career has once again entered a period of uncertainty. Yet, even while he contemplates his next move, the former two-division champion finds himself at the center of major online discussion. Harking back to the days leading up to his legendary fight against Khabib Nurmagomedov, fans caused a stir when Conor McGregor shared footage of his interaction with a young fan.

“Noah from Saudi Arabia, incredible! God is the greatest 🧑‍🦰🙌,” read the message on McGregor’s Instagram post. The accompanying clip featured him speaking with a teenager.

“Look at this guy, ladies and gentlemen. This is Noah, and he is from Saudi Arabia,” McGregor added as the youngster looked at the camera and waved. “You look like an Irishman. You look like my cousin. Noah, God bless you!”

It appeared McGregor was relaxing, soaking up the sun near a pool when the interaction took place.

Probably unbeknownst to McGregor, the young boy’s name, “Noah,” drove several fans back to the time when the Irish star was scheduled to face Khabib Nurmagomedov. Resorting to his usual trash talk at the time, McGregor directed his attack at Nurmagomedov’s team, including his manager, Ali Abdelaziz.

Referring to unconfirmed reports indicating that Abdelaziz had allegedly abandoned his son, who was named “Noah,” and that he had also failed to pay for the child’s support, McGregor launched into a verbal diatribe, saying, “Shut your mouth, Ali Abdelaziz….I know a lot about you as well, you madman. I know a lot about you as well! You keep your mouth shut, kid! How’s Noah? How’s Noah? Yeah, shut your mouth! Never speak about me, ever in your life! Watch yourself around me, ’cause you’ll be out of here quick.”

While McGregor later went on to lose the lightweight title fight, which still holds the record for the biggest pay-per-view (PPV) fight in UFC history, his words, particularly the phrase “How’s Noah?” achieved cult status among MMA fans.

Revisiting that history, to some fans, the name of the young fan in the latest instance was enough to prompt some pointed comments.

A chance encounter sends fans back to one of Conor McGregor’s most infamous taunts

“We finally found Noah!” one fan wrote. Putting that taunt aside, the mystery surrounding Abdelaziz’s reported child has continued to draw questions. Three years after UFC 239, when Abdelaziz shared a photo of his son alongside Khabib Nurmagomedov on X, the comments continued to draw speculation that the child was indeed Noah.

Continuing with the jabs, another added, “You found Noah? At least we know how Noah is now.” One fan promptly brought the focus to the central figure of the story, Ali Abdulaziz, saying, “I thought Ali Abdelaziz was gonna show up too 😂.”

One user wrote, “Where is Noah!!???” As a joke or otherwise, it appears that the doubts continue to linger.

Amidst those potshots, one fan changed gears, saying, “Absolutely love how you are with your fans. That is Irish for you.” The truth may lie somewhere in that comment. There are two sides to McGregor’s interactions with fans. When he’s in a good mood, the Irish icon is known to display a friendly streak with fans, taking selfies with them and signing autographs.

But there’s also the other McGregor, who is, on record, known to have had altercations with followers and bystanders on occasion.

In the latest instance, it appears that McGregor was relaxing and having a good time when the youngster arrived to meet him.

Yet, as it frequently happens in the former champion’s case, his past never leaves him. His storylines have become so intertwined that it’s now hard to separate what happened years ago from what he is doing now.

In all likelihood, that narrative may continue even after McGregor has left mixed martial arts.