Former UFC Champion Conor McGregor retires for the third time [Update Post #51]

[Cricket Warrior]

UFC return or retire - what next for injured McGregor?

Conor McGregor says he is determined to return to action after confirming a toe injury forced him to withdraw from his UFC comeback.

McGregor was scheduled to fight Michael Chandler in a welterweight bout on 29 June.

The Irishman remains the UFC's biggest draw despite his recent mixed fortunes in the octagon.

McGregor, 35, vowed he would "never lose a fight again", but when might the former two-weight champion return or could he focus on other endeavours?

When will McGregor's next fight be?

The date of McGregor's return is very much up in the air.

He made a surprise appearance at a Bellator fight night in Dublin at the 3Arena on Saturday.

Wearing slippers and limping at times, McGregor cornered his gym team-mate Sinead Kavanagh for her loss against Arlene Blencowe.

McGregor did an interview between fights, saying: "I'm walking in there 100 per cent Conor McGregor, injury free. Perfection is on the menu with me."

McGregor says he suffered the toe injury three weeks ago after he neglected to wear full protective gear in a sparring session.

He told Severe MMA, external in Dublin he would "love" to fight in August or September, but UFC president Dana White appeared to pour cold water over that suggestion.

"Our schedule is laid out [for August and September]. We'll see. I'm not doing anything until I know that Conor is healthy. It's not even worth talking about," White said in response to McGregor's comments.

If McGregor's return were to happen in August or September, the UFC would have to create a new pay-per-view event in its calendar.

As for an opponent, it seems likely McGregor will stick with Chandler.

Possibility of retirement?

As well as refusing to commit to a timeframe for McGregor's return, White has also suggested his star fighter may not compete again.

McGregor is a two-weight UFC champion, but he has only fought four times since claiming the lightweight championship in 2016.

Three of those fights have been defeats, once to Khabib Nurmagomedov and twice to Dustin Poirier, with the most recent loss coming via a leg break.

McGregor has branched out considerably from his fight career as his fame has grown, boxing Floyd Mayweather in 2017, setting up his own alcohol business and co-starring with Jake Gyllenhaal in the movie Road House in 2024.

It is possible he decides against a comeback, although McGregor himself has repeatedly said he will fight again for the UFC.

How many fights are left on McGregor's UFC contract?

One reason why McGregor might be keen to fight again is to see out his current UFC contract.

The Dubliner confirmed on Saturday there are two bouts left on his deal.

McGregor has been in talks about a renewal, but it is unclear what that might look like with McGregor due to turn 36 in July.

While he is under contract with the UFC, McGregor is not free to compete in other combat sports and needed the permission of the MMA promotion to box Mayweather.

After announcing he had bought a stake in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championships in April, McGregor is expanding his horizons in fight sports.

The resolution to his UFC contract is not likely to happen before his next fight, whenever that may be.


BBC

 

[Cricket Warrior]

McGregor in 'deep mental pain' to miss UFC 303

Conor McGregor says he is in 'deep mental pain' to watch UFC 303 fight week go on without him.

The Irishman was scheduled to fight Michael Chandler as the headline event in Las Vegas on Saturday, before injury forced him to withdraw.

McGregor, 35, is instead watching the week unfold from Ireland as he continues his rehabilitation from a broken toe.

"I’d be lying if I told you I wasn’t in deep pain right now watching fight week take place," he wrote on X.

"Thank you for the messages of support and encouragement, my peers and fans."

Alex Pereira stepped in to replace McGregor at the top of the UFC 303 bill, as he defends his light-heavyweight title against Jiri Prochazka on Saturday.

One Irishman remains on the card, Ian Machado Garry. The Dubliner faces England's Michael 'Venom' Page in a welterweight bout.

Garry, 26, has promised to step up in McGregor's absence as he looks to extend his 14-0 unbeaten record.


BBC

 

[BouncerGuy]

McGregor won't make UFC return this year – White

Conor McGregor will not make his highly anticipated comeback this year, according to UFC president Dana White.

The former two-weight champion withdrew from his scheduled welterweight bout against Michael Chandler on 29 June because of a broken toe.

The 36-year-old was scheduled to return to UFC from a lengthy absence after breaking his leg in defeat by Dustin Poirier in July 2021.

"We didn't meet up but we talked, and yeah, [McGregor] wants to fight. So we'll figure it out. [But] not this year. He won't fight this year," White said on Tuesday.

However, McGregor responded on X, external: "Ah Dana, December is the date!"

The Irishman added: "Bring the calendar year home with a winning event! Come on now, what’s this? I am off to altitude next month to prepare.

"December! Tell Dana and UFC we want December! We deserve December!"

McGregor has fought just four times since 2016 when he beat Eddie Alvarez to become a two-weight UFC champion.

The former featherweight champion has an overall MMA record of 22 wins and six losses.

BBC

 

[FearlessRoar]

McGregor accuser told friends to delete messages as she 'feared for life'​

A woman who has accused Irish mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor of raping her has told a court she told friends and family to delete text messages because she was "in fear of her life".

Nikita Hand has taken civil action against Mr McGregor and another man, seeking damages for an alleged sex attack in a Dublin hotel in December 2018.

Mr McGregor denies the allegations and his lawyers told an earlier hearing in the case that Ms Hand is attempting extortion.

In 2020, Ireland's Director of Public Prosecutions decided not to criminally prosecute either man due to a lack of evidence and no reasonable prospect of conviction.

In a Republic of Ireland civil action, as opposed to a criminal case, neither the complainant nor the two accused men are entitled to anonymity during the court proceedings.

Under cross examination from Mr McGregor's ;awyer, Ms Hand said she had warned close friends and family to delete messages from her detailing the alleged rape because she was paranoid.

The barrister asked if Ms Hand had told a woman, who left the Beacon Hotel in the same car as the MMA star, to delete messages.

"I probably did cause I was afraid for my life," she said.

"I don't know when I told her. I would've told her to because I told other people to as well...I deleted my messages because I didn't want to press charges because I was afraid."

The barrister put it to Ms Hand that she "seem reluctant for guards (Irish police) to speak to" the other woman when she was first interviewed.

Ms Hand said in her Garda (Irish police force) interview she was concerned because Mr McGregor had dropped the woman home and knew where she lived.

Ms Hand said in her Garda interview that she was concerned because McGregor had dropped the woman home and knew where she lived.

In court, Ms Hand said she was worried about her friend because she was also scared. "I didn't want to put her want to put her in a position where she would have to say anything she didn't want to," she said.

Later it was noted that upon leaving the hotel, Ms Hand went to her manager's house to hand over salon keys.

She said she remembered she had told her manager she had been raped by Conor McGregor.

"I cant remember word for word, I was in an awful state. I know I told her I was raped, choked and had bruises," she said.

The lawyer said: "You don't remember that you told her you woke up and two body guards came into the room and you thought you were going to be gang raped? And you ran off because you thought you were going to be raped by the security guard?"

Ms Hand said she did not remember because she was "all over the place".

"Everything was going through my mind. I told her I'd been brutally raped, how could anyone be correct about everything in that state of mind?

“I told her I was raped, battered and choked, the main detail. I do remember telling her it was Conor McGregor."

The barrister reminded Ms Hand of CCTV footage from the Beacon Hotel in which Mr McGregor left at around 18:00 local time.

A phone call was made from Ms Hand's phone to Mr McGregor, the barrister said, asking why she did this.

"I don't know why I rang him,” Ms Hand said.

She told the court the second defendant James Lawrence, from Rafters Road in Drimnagh, Dublin, had taken the phone from her and that could be seen on the CCTV footage.

During almost 20 minutes of footage, the barrister said, Mr Lawrence and Ms Hand are in the basement of the hotel and she could be seen kissing Mr Lawrence on the cheek.

The barrister said, on occasion, they also have their arms around each other.

Ms Hand said she had no recollection of this period.

"It's not me, its not my character, you can see how vulnerable I was, I'm stumbling, I don't want to have to look at it again. It's very disturbing for me," she said.

Mr McGregor’s barrister said the CCTV footage “contradicts the story you've told."

Breaking down, Ms Hand said she did not agree.

That CCTV footage doesn't take away what happened to me in that room with Conor. I was brutally raped and battered, that CCTV does not take away what happened to me."

The case continues.

Conor McGregor: Woman deleted messages as she 'feared for life,' court hears

A woman is suing Conor McGregor for civil damages, claiming he sexually assaulted her in a hotel.

www.bbc.com

 

[Cricket Warrior]

McGregor admits 'taking cocaine' on night of alleged rape

Conor McGregor has admitted taking cocaine on the night it is alleged he raped a Dublin woman.

In court on Thursday, the Irish mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter replied "correct" when John Gordon SC stated he had cocaine in his car along with the alleged victim and another witness.

The court also heard Mr McGregor answered "no comment" to over 100 questions in his first police interview and said he did so under advice of his lawyer because he was in a state of "shock and fear".

Dublin woman Nikita Hand has accused the sportsman of rape after a Christmas night out in December 2018. He denies all allegations.

Conor McGregor admits 'taking cocaine' on night of alleged rape

The Irish mixed martial arts fighter is defending a civil action by a woman who accused him of rape.

www.bbc.com

 

[Cricket Warrior]

Woman wins civil rape case against Conor McGregor

A woman who accused Conor McGregor of raping her has won her claim against him for damages in a civil case.

A jury found that the Irish mixed martial arts fighter raped Nikita Hand in a Dublin hotel in December 2018.

He has been ordered to pay her more than €248,000 (£206,000) in damages.

Speaking outside the court on Friday, Ms Hand said her story was "a reminder that no matter how afraid you might be to speak up, you have a voice".

In a post on X on Friday evening, McGregor said he would appeal against the verdict and he thanked "all my support worldwide".

Woman wins civil rape case against Conor McGregor

A jury found that the Irish mixed martial arts fighter raped Nikita Hand in a Dublin hotel in 2018.

www.bbc.com

 

[Cricket Warrior]

Conor McGregor waxwork removed from museum

A wax figure of Conor McGregor has been removed from the National Wax Museum Plus in Dublin.

The museum has said it removed the figure of the mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter from public viewing two weeks ago in light of his civil trial case.

On Friday, a jury at the High Court in Dublin found he had assaulted Nikita Hand by raping her in a hotel in Dublin in December 2018.

McGregor was ordered to pay Ms Hand almost €250,000 (£206,000) in damages.

Conor McGregor wax figure removed from museum after civil case

The National Wax Museum Plus says it removed the figure two weeks ago in light of his civil trial.

www.bbc.com

 

[Cricket Warrior]

Conor McGregor ordered to pay Nikita Hand's legal costs

A judge has ruled that MMA star Conor McGregor must pay the legal costs of a woman who accused him of raping her.

A jury found McGregor liable for assault in a civil case taken by Nikita Hand and ordered him to pay Ms Hand almost €250,000 (£207,000) in damages.

He has now been told to pay her legal costs in a further hearing on Thursday.

James Lawrence, of Rafter's Road, Drimnagh in Dublin, who was also accused of rape by Ms Hand but found not liable - will not be awarded any costs.

The judge said it was a "singular and peculiar case" and may bring proceedings against McGregor for social media posts.

McGregor, who had denied the allegations, has already said he will appeal.

Conor McGregor ordered to pay Nikita Hand's civil rape case costs

The MMA star was found liable in a civil case taken by Ms Hand who had accused him of raping her.

www.bbc.com