Rafael dos Anjos has told Conor McGregor he is ready to fight him “whenever and wherever” following their backstage altercation ahead of UFC 264.
Dos Anjos is the insurance policy for the main event between McGregor and Dustin Poirier, set to take place in Las Vegas in the early hours of Sunday morning.
All three lightweights came in at 156lb and therefore the Brazilian is likely to only have a watching brief at the T-Mobile Stadium.
But Dos Anjos clearly has his eyes on a future bout with the Notorious after the two almost came to blows following the weigh-in.
In footage captured by the UFC, the two old rivals, who were scheduled to fight back in 2016, were seen throwing expletives at each other.
Dos Anjos pulled out of that planned bout, with McGregor saying: “You bottled it mate, don’t ever forget it you little rat.”
Once security separated the two fighters, Dos Anjos said: “Whenever he wants, wherever, we can fight here. I don’t f****** care.”
The former lightweight champion then tweeted: "Conor you’re such a snake, sneaking from behind and playing tough.
“Soon or later we will finish business. I’m not like the guys you play around with."
The two have had a longstanding rivalry since that cancelled bout five years ago and after McGregor lost the fight with Dos Anjos’ replacement Nate Diaz, he was left to rue what he felt was a golden chance to become a two-weight world champion.
“Realistically I should be a two-weight UFC world champion," he said.
“If I fought Rafael dos Anjos, if he didn't p**** out of that last one and showed up, the shots I cracked Nate with in the first eight minutes would have KO'd Rafael dos Anjos stiff.
“That's no question. I would be sitting here right now as a two-weight world champion, but I don't dwell on that.”
However Dos Ajjos isn’t so sure, replying: “If you had fought me you wouldn't be two-division champ, you would be dead. Look what a out-of-shape Diaz did to you.”
Their war of words was reignited earlier this week when after news of him being the insurance policy.
"Put Dos Anjos in at the same time," McGregor posted, with Dos Anjos questioning why his rival was tweeting in the early hours: "Alcoholic [sic] hallucinosis from drinking cheap whiskey until 3:39am."
McGregor has been riled since arriving in Vegas on Wednesday as he bids to avenge his January defeat by Poirier.
The Dubliner was beaten in their January rematch, but he has promised to make amends in their trilogy competing bout.
“Every shot I have thrown in this camp is a kill shot, so that’s it,” he said.
“I’m going to kill this man; just a slaughter and a play with a scared little boy.
“He’s fighting scared like he always does, like they always do against me, so now I’m going to play with the little boy, play with me food, and then just devour it.”
