Conor McGregor has found himself in hot water once more—but this time it’s not in a courtroom or the Octagon. After making numerous headlines for the wrong reasons in recent months, the latest drama centers on his foray into cryptocurrency. ‘The Notorious’ is known for jumping headfirst into new ventures with swagger and enthusiasm, but his most recent initiative has unexpectedly hit a wall, leaving fans and investors stunned for sure. So, what did McGregor do this time?

Well, McGregor’s meme coin, $REAL, emerged over the weekend, promising big things. However, despite the marketing push and the involvement of some well-known Web3 names, the launch failed to meet expectations. The presale ended quietly after failing to fulfill its fundraising target, and the developers stated that everyone who purchased would receive a refund. A short, honest message on the project’s website read, “We didn’t hit our minimum raise. All bids will be refunded in full. This is not the end.” McGregor followed suit, retweeting the X post with his quote, “Ladies and gentlemen, this is REAL!” But for those wanting to catch the next meme currency wave, it feels like the end.

It is worth noting that before Conor, Khamzat Chimaev‘s now-infamous meme coin SMASH misled fans—though ‘Borz’ later stated he had no role or knowledge of the scheme. Khabib Nurmagomedov, too, came under criticism from fans after endorsing the satirical meme coin $Convict, which was a jab at McGregor’s civil lawsuit. But unlike the case for the previous two MMA veterans, experts speculate that the timing could not have been worse for ‘The Notorious’ to launch the project and that is what led to its downfall rather than it being a scam.

Global markets were already volatile, cryptocurrency was in a slump, and meme coins, once the life of the party, are no longer lighting up timelines the way they used to. So, one can say that McGregor may have dodged a far worse disaster. With meme currency disasters hitting headlines almost weekly, from celebrity-backed flops to SEC warnings, the fact that $REAL didn’t completely launch could be a blessing in disguise—especially for a guy reported to be considering a career in Irish politics. So, how did the fans react to it? Well, one can clearly say that they were quite brutal with their assessment of the situation.

Fans annihilate Conor McGregor for his latest shenanigans

The crypto market may be famed for its unpredictability, but when Conor McGregor’s meme coin failed within a day of launch, most fans were not surprised. After all, this isn’t the first time ‘The Notorious’ jumped into a high-stakes venture only to have it result in unfavorable headlines. With $REAL failing to fulfill its fundraising goal, to nobody’s surprise, fans piled on the former UFC double champion. One fan responded, “Notorious rug pull, but with a refund,” seemingly surprised by the weirdness of the news. Someone shared the view with a sarcastic “Classic Conor here,” while someone else pointed out the obvious pattern: “Who else but McGregor!”

But the jokes didn’t end with cryptocurrency. Conor McGregor has time and again expressed an interest in entering Irish politics. In fact, he even met President Donald Trump and addressed the issues faced by his fellow countrymen. However, this failure has given fans another reason to doubt his intentions. One fan joked, “Bad timing. Should have done it when it presidential,” while another added, “Everyone is Aware now of whom not to vote😂.” Skepticism was common, with one supporter saying, “And he wants to save Ireland 😂,” while another added, “McGregor seriously turning into a politician now.”

Even MMA aficionados couldn’t resist poking fun. The comparison game was strong. “First meme in history to tap out before round one.” one user joked. Many fans are finding it increasingly difficult to defend the former champion’s off-cage antics. And with each botched launch or viral gaffe, the road back to credibility appears to get longer. However, one thing that fans truly appreciated was the fact that the devs and the Irishman kept things transparent, “At least they’re doing the right thing—many projects would just vanish.” Some other fans chimed in, praising McGregor for refunding the money of the investors, “At least they will do a refund,” and “If he does …man of his word … more Like him” What do you think? Will the Irishman be able to find a way out of this situation? Let us know in the comments.