Conor McGregor Loses Appeal in Sexual Assault Case

LONDON – Conor McGregor, the mixed martial arts fighter, has lost a legal appeal regarding a civil court’s ruling that found he sexually assaulted a woman in a Dublin hotel.

In November, the Dublin High Court determined that McGregor was liable for sexually assaulting Nikita Hand, who described being “brutally raped and abused” in a hotel penthouse back in 2018.

Hand, now 35, successfully took McGregor to civil court after criminal prosecutors decided against filing charges, citing insufficient evidence and a lack of likelihood for conviction.

Initially, McGregor claimed the allegations arose after they had consensual sex. He pursued appeals but recently reversed his decision to allow his legal team to present new evidence.

On Thursday, a panel of three judges in Dublin dismissed the appeal “in general terms.”

While Hand was present in court for the ruling, McGregor did not attend.

The 37-year-old, who once epitomized the UFC, has since drawn attention for his anti-immigration views and critique of Irish politicians, somewhat diminishing his stature in the sport. He even flirted with the idea of running for the presidency in Ireland.

In a related note, UFC fan President Donald Trump had invited McGregor to the White House in March to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

Additionally, McGregor is currently facing another lawsuit in Florida, where he is accused of sexually assaulting a woman in the restroom at Kaseya Center during the 2023 NBA finals with the Denver Nuggets.