Conor McGregor will no longer be the face of Proper No. 12 whisky, according to a report in the Irish Independent.
Proximo Spirits, which owns the whiskey brand, announced it would no longer use McGregor’s name or likeness in connection with the drink. The decision came after McGregor was found responsible for the sexual assault in a civil case at the High Court in Dublin last week. The UFC star was ordered to pay more than $250,000 in restitution to his victim, Nikita Hand.
“Since 2021, Proximo Spirits has been 100% owner of Proper No. 12 Irish Whiskey,” Proximo Spirits said. “We have no plans to use Mr. McGregor’s name and likeness in any future brand marketing.”
McGregor and his partners reportedly sold a majority stake in the whiskey brand to Proximo Spirits, which was a 49% owner, for $600 million in 2021. Following the sale, McGregor continued to play an active role within the company as a spokesperson and brand representative.
Multiple retail chains in Ireland have removed McGregor-related drinks from their shelves, including Proper No. 12 and Forged Irish Stout, according to the report. One of the companies, Bally Group, which owns several of the stores, said the decision “reflects our commitment to maintaining a retail environment that resonates with the values of our customers and partners.”
Earlier this week, video game developer IO Interactive announced that McGregor would be leaving the company’s Hitman: World of Assassination game. The Irish star was a downloadable character, but will no longer be available. According to the Irish Independent, “Other companies involved in fighter jets are also under pressure to withdraw from his products.”
Meanwhile, the Dublin Rape Crisis Center issued a statement pleading for support for Mr Hand following the verdict in the civil case. The group urged people to “consider whether the brands they associate with and follow align with their values and stand against violence against women.”
McGregor posted his own statement on social media on Monday, denying sexual assault while expressing remorse for cheating on his partner Dee Devlin. The Dublin native also said he plans to appeal the sentence. The UFC has not officially commented on the situation.
McGregor was scheduled to return to the Octagon for the first time since July 2021 when he faced Michael Chandler in the main event of UFC 303 in June of this year. However, he withdrew from the match during the week of the event due to a broken toe. Since then, his next fight schedule has been unknown.
