While Khabib Nurmagomedov weathers accusations of being a ‘scammer’ for the digital promotion of Papakha Hats in collaboration with Telegram, a list of UFC champions, including Jon Jones, is quietly lining up to profit from the same playbook.

The controversy sparked when Conor McGregor joined the chat and accused Nurmagomedov of exploiting his late father’s name to promote the Telegram gift, calling it a “scam.” The incident ignited a heated debate online, splitting fans. In response, The Eagle’s business partner has hit back at the criticism recently with a pointed social media post.

Why was Khabib Nurmagomedov labeled a “scam” while others escaped criticism

Facing criticism for promoting NFTs using his father’s name, which he later deleted, Khabib Nurmagomedov isn’t the only fighter making headlines. This weekend at UFC 323, top streamer N3on will team up with Jon Jones, Alex Pereira, and other prominent UFC fighters for a Telegram gift drop. “Real stars are coming in,” N3on told Babcock, announcing the major collaboration with Telegram.

Alongside Jones, Charles Oliveira, and UFC 323 stars such as Merab Dvalishvili and Alexandre Pantoja, N3on confirmed that they will appear on the live stream Telegram gift drop. The event promises to be an even bigger celebration in the “virtual world,” streaming everything from casual hangouts with the fighters to training sessions. N3on declared the total stream time on TMZ Sports.

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“Probably four to five hours.”

Meanwhile, Khabib Nurmagomedov’s business partner, Magomed Kurbaitaev, expressed frustration over the backlash ‘The Eagle’ faced.

“Charles Oliveira, Israel Adesanya, Jon Jones, Leon Edwards all promoted Telegram gifts, but it’s a scam only when Khabib does it. Alright,” wrote Gameplan CEO Magomed Kurbaitaev on X.

Whatever the reason for the animosity, the Khabib Nurmagomedov-Telegram collaboration succeeded in a way no one expected.

Their project generated $4.5 million in just one day from the sale of 29,000 Papakhas.

Despite that blockbuster sale, Khabib Nurmagomedov could not escape being dragged by Jon Jones, who referenced the project while aiming at Daniel Cormier.

Jon Jones takes a jab at ‘The Eagle’ and Telegram CEO

Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier’s rivalry is legendary, constantly resurfacing over the months. This time, however, their clash revolved around fight announcements and business dealings.

The feud reignited around Thanksgiving during one of Cormier’s YouTube segments. As Jones spent the past few weeks in Russia, Cormier questioned why he wasn’t at home with his family.

Daniel Cormier didn’t just target Jones-he also dragged Khabib Nurmagomedov into the mix, referencing the recent $4.5 million NFT sales on Telegram. Jones’ reply was sharp and deliberate, clearly intended to sting.

“Maybe I should send one of those Khabib gifts to @dc_mma so he can actually enjoy his holiday instead of thinking about me all the time. @durov,” he wrote.

But no matter what, Telegram has entered the UFC world, creating significant waves. The platform’s CEO is not only looking to train with ‘The Eagle’ but is also taking an interest in Khamzat Chimaev’s upcoming fight. We can surely expect a few more collabs in the scene.