Conor McGregor (22-6, MMA) is standing by his claim of innocence, despite an Irish jury finding him liable for sexual assault.
McGregor’s comments come ahead of his July 11 rematch against Max Holloway (27-9 MMA) at July 11. A jury ruled in November 2024 that McGregor had non-consensual sex with Nikita Hand in a Dublin hotel room in 2018.
Hand pursued a civil case against McGregor and his friend James Lawrence, with the jury clearing Lawrence of liability. Following a two-week trial, McGregor was ordered to pay Hand $260,000 in damages. Although McGregor’s appeal was denied, he has maintained his innocence.
“I’m an innocent man, and I’ll stand for my innocence until the day I go out. That is still a situation where I fight. There’s a reason where it didn’t go where it went and went to a civil trial. It is what it is.
“I know anything done in darkness will soon come to light, and I trust in God that it’s coming. You best believe it’s coming. I look very, very forward to the day,” McGregor
McGregor admitted during the trial to using alcohol and drugs around the time of the incident. He’s since credited faith with turning his life around, and singled out drinking as the core issue during his five years out of competition.
“You know in 2017, (I’m) a double-weight world champion, Floyd Mayweather-banked. Then I launch an Irish whiskey. I didn’t drink heavily if at all at that time in my life. I was an athlete at the top of my game. Next thing you know, there’s thousands upon thousands of bottles in my garage. Sell this, Conor. OK. I’d leave my property with two bottles under my arm. That was it. I was caught,” McGregor