I needed time because people want to hear my story. I know I made a mistake. Six years ago, I should never have answered her call. I should have quit the party. He shouldn’t have stepped forward to meet the woman he loved most in the world. It’s all my responsibility.
As much as me…
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA)
November 25, 2024
Conor McGregor released a statement after he was found responsible for the sexual assault of a woman named Nikita Hand.
Mr Hand accused Mr McGregor and a man named James Lawrence of raping him at a hotel in Dublin on December 9, 2018. A jury at a court in Dublin recently found Mr McGregor liable for sexual misconduct in a civil case. McGregor was not found “guilty” as it was a civil case, but he was ordered to pay more than $250,000 in restitution to Hand.
‘Notorious’ recently addressed the ruling and continued to deny the rape charge, claiming he had consensual sex with Hand in December 2018. McGregor also admitted that cheating on his wife Dee Devlin, with whom he has four children, was a mistake. The former UFC two-division champion plans to appeal the ruling in Superior Court. The Dubliner also vows to return to the Octagon.
“I needed time because people want to hear my opinion. I know I made a mistake,” McGregor wrote in X. “Six years ago, I should never have answered her call. I should have quit the party. I should never have stepped out on the woman I love most in the world. It’s all my fault. I’m sorry. Everything that happened that night was consensual and all witnesses present were under oath. I have instructed my legal team to appeal this decision. There is no turning back, so I am moving forward. I would like to express my gratitude to my family, friends, and supporters around the world who have stood by me. Thank you. That’s it. Back to the gym, the fighting game is waiting for you!”
McGregor hasn’t fought since breaking his foot in a three-fight losing streak to Dustin Poirier in 2021. McGregor faced Michael Chandler at UFC 303 in June, but was forced to leave the fight with a broken toe.
