Is Conor McGregor Welcome In Ireland?
Conor McGregor reportedly went to Dubai after the findings of his sexual assault civil lawsuit.
McGregor was held liable after Nikita Hand won her lawsuit against the UFC fighter, alleging he sexually assaulted her in 2018. The incident was alleged to have taken place in a Dublin hotel room. McGregor stated his innocence, saying any conduct was consensual. McGregor’s friend, James Lawrence, was cleared after initially being named in the proceedings. However, McGregor’s liability means he has to pay her roughly $258,440.
He has also been ordered to pay her legal costs of approximately $158,000. The sentiment in Ireland has been negative towards McGregor. The Hitman video game franchise has cut ties with McGregor. The Proper No. 12 Irish Whiskey has also done the same. Protests were also held after the verdict, showing McGregor’s popularity has declined. Irish politician Ruth Coppinger spoke about the idea of boycotting McGregor.
The Sentiment
“Obviously I feel people already are boycotting his products and there has been a massive commercial backlash for Conor McGregor. People shouldn’t support Conor McGregor, his products nor his premises. I am surprised though that retailers have pulled his products because normally something like this doesn’t affect a person. So the backlash Conor McGregor is getting is significant – retailers and sponsors are reacting and long may it continue,” Coppinger said
It is believed that McGregor went to Dubai to distance himself from the country. Reports indicate the fighter left with his fiancéé Dee Devlin and their children. It is alleged that McGregor will stay until the situation has calmed down. It may also give McGregor time to consider his next steps. He said he would appeal the decision, doubling down on his innocence.
That would elongate the legal battle and delay his UFC return even further. There are also reports that McGregor may consider moving back to the US. It is alleged that his popularity there has not suffered as much compared to Ireland. But there are still questions about his future moving forward.
What’s Next?
It is tough to see how McGregor can return to the UFC. Although he still has two fights left on his UFC deal, he is now in the latter part of his career. There is still uncertainty about whether he will be able to fight as he aims to come back from a career-threatening injury. His UFC form is also poor.
Three losses out of his last four fights show a fighter on the decline. Although McGregor could previously rely on his big pulling power, that may now change. The UFC will have to decide whether it is worth risking their brand by allowing McGregor to fight. Dana White has not filled McGregor’s fans with confidence that he will fight again.
“If I had a comment I would’ve put it out already. He hasn’t been fighting here in I don’t know how long. Well, if he does fight it’ll be sometime next year,” White said
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