Ex-Navy SEAL who claims he killed Osama bin Laden gifts Conor McGregor ‘actual glove’ worn during the raid

Conor McGregor received one of the most unusual gifts of his career after former Navy SEAL Rob O’Neill handed him a glove allegedly worn during the 2011 raid that killed Osama bin Laden.The moment took place during a filmed conversation inside an MMA cage while McGregor promoted his new drink brand, MAC Energy.O’Neill presented the glove to the former UFC two-division champion while discussing the military mission carried out in Abbottabad, Pakistan, in 2011.O’Neill has publicly claimed for years that he fired the fatal shots which killed bin Laden during the United States military operation, although some former Navy SEALs have disputed aspects of those claims.During the exchange, McGregor appeared stunned after realising the significance of the item being handed to him.‘That’s a used glove?’ McGregor asked in footage published by TMZ Sports.O’Neill then handed the glove to the former UFC fighter as a unique gift.‘I wanted you to get this as a token of our friendship,’ O’Neill said.Clearly impressed, McGregor replied: ‘These are the gloves that [were] used on the mission to take down Osama bin Laden, wow.’O’Neill then replied: ‘I wore that glove one time, and I haven’t washed it, so there might be DNA on it.’O’Neill later explained he had been wearing the glove during the raid while operating his weapon.‘I’m working with this, and my left hand’s up here,’ O’Neill said while demonstrating how he held his rifle during the operation. “So when I saw Osama bin Laden, the closest thing to him was my left hand. So I put him down on the ground with my right hand.” O’Neill ultimately handed McGregor the left-hand glove during the filmed conversation. “…I figured I put a man down with my right hand, you put a man down with your left hand,” O’Neill told McGregor. “And this is a token of our relationship, our friendship, our brotherhood.” McGregor, who has produced several knockout victories throughout his UFC career using his left hand, responded simply: “Awesome. I appreciate that.” The meeting between McGregor and O’Neill comes as the Irish fighter prepares for his long-awaited UFC return against Max Holloway during International Fight Week in Las Vegas on July 11. The fight will mark McGregor’s first UFC appearance in almost five years after he suffered a devastating leg break during the opening round of his trilogy bout against Dustin Poirier in 2021. McGregor defeated Holloway by unanimous decision during their first meeting 13 years ago, long before either fighter became one of the biggest stars in UFC history. That bout took place on the preliminary card rather than the main event, with Holloway later going on to dominate the featherweight division and become the UFC’s BMF champion. During the conversation with O’Neill, McGregor also opened up about the mindset behind his recovery process and preparation for returning after the serious leg injury. “As I’ve become more experienced in the game I actually work backwards towards the perfect scenario,” McGregor said. “I have had a limb break inside the octagon, so now I must have an answer to that.” “I have the perfect scenario, you knock them out with the big backhand, the crowd roars. “But then I have the worst case scenario... I have a whole selection of responses to the worst-case scenarios.” “So if the ankle goes, if the knee goes, if the shoulder goes, what’s my response? Because the fight’s not over. If you have a manoeuvre, you can outlast and you can survive.” “As I have gotten more experience in the fight game, I’ve found to work my way backwards from the worst case scenario, to the best case scenario. And then focus and prepare for the best case scenario.” McGregor also expressed confidence ahead of the rematch with Holloway. “I’ve got a great deal off the UFC. They honoured me, finally,” he said. “Preparation is going very well. We’re living, breathing, and sleeping in the gym.” “The opponent is a man that I’ve beaten before. Our last bout was martial arts mastery by yours truly, so I plan on doing it again. I plan on showing my growth and my improvements in there.” McGregor and O’Neill had previously met during an episode of McGregor’s interview series “1 of 1,” which was filmed inside the fighter’s Dublin pub, the Black Forge Inn. The latest appearance together quickly drew attention online because of the unusual military memorabilia exchange and O’Neill’s long-standing connection to one of the most famous military operations in modern history. While O’Neill has been praised in some circles following his public claims regarding the bin Laden mission, he has also faced criticism from others who accused him of attempting to profit from or publicly capitalise on the operation. The Abbottabad raid itself remains one of the most closely scrutinised missions conducted by the United States military during the war on terror.