As expected, UFC superstar and former double-champion Conor McGregor is challenging the decision against him in a civil sexual assault lawsuit in Ireland.
According to BBC reports, McGregor filed an appeal through his legal team last Friday in the Irish courts.
The verdict, handed down in November 2024, centered on accusations from Nikita Hand, who claimed McGregor and another individual sexually assaulted her. As a result, McGregor was hit with a €248,000 fine and ordered to cover Hand’s legal expenses.
In the same case, the jury decided that McGregor’s associate, James Lawrence, aged 35, was not responsible for any wrongdoing towards Hand. This accusation was linked to an incident purportedly occurring on the same day as McGregor’s alleged assault at The Beacon Hotel in Dublin, dating back about six years.
McGregor had pledged to contest the civil case verdict, which carries a different standard than a criminal conviction. In criminal proceedings, guilt must be established beyond a reasonable doubt, while civil cases require a greater than 50% likelihood of the claim being true.
Hand reported physical injuries, including bruises and scratches, and alleged that McGregor placed her in a chokehold.
Following the 2018 accusation, McGregor was dropped by Proper 12, a whiskey brand he famously launched and later sold. Moreover, a separate civil lawsuit brought by another woman, who remains unnamed, alleges McGregor sexually assaulted her at a Miami Heat playoff game in 2023.
Although the Miami incident was initially probed by the police, a spokesperson from McGregor’s PR team, in a statement to Cageside Press, highlighted that after thorough investigation, the State’s Attorney concluded there was no case to pursue. Despite the plaintiff revising her story and involving multiple legal representatives over time, McGregor’s legal counsel remains confident that the case will be dismissed.
After the verdict involving Hand, McGregor attempted to release CCTV footage he claimed would prove his innocence. However, Hand’s legal team successfully moved to prevent the footage from being made public.
