Irish UFC star Conor McGregor called Machine Gun Kelly a “little vanilla boy rapper” after the pair apparently had a scuffle on an awards show red carpet.
Pictures from the MTV Video Music Awards appeared to show McGregor, 33, and Machine Gun Kelly, 31, being kept apart by security.
The former UFC champion attended the ceremony at the Barclays Centre in New York with his partner Dee Devlin while the US musician arrived with his Hollywood actress girlfriend Megan Fox.
Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, Dublin-born McGregor said “nothing” happened.
He said: “Absolutely nothing. I don’t know. He showed up, and I don’t know. I don’t know the guy.
“Nothing happened with me, I only fight real fighters, people that actually fight, you know what I mean.
“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.”
Machine Gun Kelly, whose real name is Colson Baker, was also asked about the alleged altercation but walked away without answering the question.
Both men later appeared during the VMAs ceremony.
McGregor, walking with a cane after suffering a serious leg injury in his latest fight in July, was on hand to award Justin Bieber his artist of the year prize.
Machine Gun Kelly was among the winners, taking home the prize for best alternative in recognition of his song My Ex’s Best Friend.
He and Transformers star Fox have been dating since last year.
She raised eyebrows at the VMAs by standing next to Kourtney Kardashian and introducing their respective boyfriends Machine Gun Kelly and Travis Barker to the stage as “our future baby daddies”.