MMA fighter Conor McGregor found liable in rape and sexual assault case
Warning: This article has mentions of rape and sexual assault.
Irish mixed martial artist and professional boxer Conor McGregor was found liable for "brutally" raping and battering a woman named Nikita Hand following a civil suit in 2021.
According to reports from the Associated Press and The Guardian, on Nov. 22, a civil jury in Ireland ordered the 36-year-old MMA fighter to pay damages totaling roughly $257,000 or more than P15 million.
"To all the victims of sexual assault, I hope my story is a reminder that no matter how afraid you might be, speak up, you have a voice and keep on fighting for justice," Hand told media after the trial, as per the Guardian's report.
In case you missed it, McGregor was accused in a civil suit in 2021 of "brutally" raping and battering Hand while she was intoxicated in Dec. 2018. This was after the latter invited McGregor to join her and a friend at a company holiday party in Dublin.
According to Hand's lawyer, the woman was left with bruises and post-traumatic stress disorder after the assault.
Meanwhile, James Lawrence, McGregor's friend who was also accused by Hand on the night in question, was not found liable by the jury.
'Vicious liar'
After the ruling, McGregor, who made history after he became the first Double Champion in UFC, ranted on social media, rejecting the rape case outcome and calling his accuser a "vicious liar."
"Justice was served for James Lawrence, yes! Deplorable what they done,” the athlete wrote on a now-deleted X post.
"Nikita Hand, vicious liar! APPEAL!" he continued.
According to PEOPLE, he also shared another online story about the case's outcome, including a quote from the Minister for Justice of Ireland commending Hand for her “bravery and determination” following the jury's rule.
“Falsely accused a man of rape and lost,” McGregor wrote alongside the article. The athlete also took down this post.
Another deleted post also showed McGregor's sentiments, accusing Hand of lying and saying he is “not done yet.”
This is not the first time McGregor was involved in accusations of sexual assault.
In 2022, a woman claimed that McGregor "punched and threatened to drown her" while they were celebrating his birthday on a boat in Ibiza. Although the issue remains unresolved, McGregor has already refuted the allegations.
The following year, he was once again accused of sexual assault following a woman claimed that she was "violently" forced into oral sex in a bathroom at the Kaseya Center in Miami.
As per ESPN, the case was not pursued due to "insufficient evidence."
McGregor, also known as "The Notorious," made his debut in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) in April 2013, defeating Marcus Brimage by technical knockout (TKO) in 67 seconds.
McGregor is also the first fighter to win two UFC titles in two different divisions simultaneously.
