Conor McGregor claims Khabib Nurmagomedov is 'trembling' at the thought of having to face him again.
The Notorious lost to the lightweight champion almost 15 months ago and has not fought in the UFC since.
He makes his return to the Octagon in two weeks time when he faces Donald Cerrone, but he also wants a rematch against Nurmagomedov - and reckons it would be a different outcome second time around.
McGregor told The Mac Life: “I’m just having fun with it all now, he is trembling. That man is trembling, he doesn’t want it. He doesn’t want it.
"You get it and he’s trying not to lose it again. I just smell s**t, that’s all it is. He’s afraid and that’s it."
McGregor said he made mistakes in his training camp ahead of the Nurmagomedov defeat, but insisted he was fully focused on fighting now.
“That last camp was horrendous, I have no one to blame but myself, and I did blame myself and I made the corrections," McGregor said.
"Thankfully I have a strong team behind me that are pushing me and guiding me the right way and I’m guiding myself is the main thing.
“I’m listening to myself and I’m doing my work that I need to do, that I know I need to do.
"Fighting is always close to my mind now and I know I’ve got many business and these types of things that are trying, but fighting is my bread and butter and that’s what I’m focused on.”
McGregor said UFC president Dana White wants the match-up to happen, adding: "Everyone wants it, the boss wants it, Dana wants it, we all want it, so he can run but he can not hide. I look forward to it.”
On the prospect of facing American rival Gaethje, McGregor said: “He’s on the list. Maybe I will face him next.
"So maybe I’ll get through Donald and I’ll have a quick turnaround against Justin.
"So maybe that’s what will happen. But Justin is on the list, no doubt.”
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