Conor McGregor Calls Machine Gun Kelly 'Vanilla Boy Rapper' After VMA Incident

Conor McGregor and Machine Gun Kelly appeared to have gotten into a confrontation on the 2021 Video Music Awards red carpet -- and now McGregor is sharing his account of what happened ... or rather, what didn't happen.

During the awards show red carpet on Sunday night, the UFC fighter and singer-rapper were photographed getting into what seemed to be a physical altercation.

Sources told TMZ that McGregor, 33, asked Kelly, 31, for a photo and the "my ex's best friend" singer denied the request, which led leading to MGK pushing McGregor, who reportedly "stumbled back and spilled his drink." The source said the fighting champion then allegedly threw his drink at MGK and his girlfriend, Megan Fox. McGregor and Kelly's security ultimately intervened. Meanwhile, McGregor's walking cane reportedly fell during the incident, but he got it back.

According to another TMZ insider, McGregor had gone over to say hello to MGK, who then "said something," but McGregor didn't hear it. Kelly's security then shoved McGregor away. The source also added that McGregor didn't "understand" what the problem was and was "surprised by how he was treated."

However, while speaking to Entertainment Tonight backstage, McGregor explained his side of the story. The mixed martial artist stressed that "absolutely nothing" went down and proceeded to call MGK a "vanilla boy rapper."

"I don't know. He showed up and I don't know. I don't know the guy," he claimed to the outlet.

"Nothing happened with me, I only fight real fighters, people that actually fight, you know what I mean," he added. "I certainly don't fight little vanilla boy rappers. I don't even know the guy. I don't know anything about him, except that he's with Megan Fox."

As for the reports of the squabble being over a photo request, McGregor's rep told Us Weekly that "this is totally false. [There was] no photo request." The spokesperson added that MGK "attended Conor's last fight," which took place in Las Vegas in July, and said that McGregor "appreciates all his fans."

Meanwhile, Kelly was later asked about the incident with McGregor on the red carpet by Variety. When asked about the "scuffle," MGK, who had Fox by his side, swatted Variety host Marc Malkin's microphone away with his hand. As Kelly and Fox, 35, walked away, Fox appeared to suggest they were "not allowed" to say anything about the altercation with McGregor.