A troubling assault accusation has re-emerged for the UFC’s biggest star. Conor McGregor has been rehabbing from injury for the past 18 months, following a broken leg suffered against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264. During that time he’s been involved in the filming of a new Hollywood production of Road House, and an embittered legal battle with former friend and training partner Artem Lobov.
He’s also been the subject of reports of an assault against an unnamed 42-year-old victim aboard his yacht off the coast of Ibiza during a Birthday afterparty in July of 2022. Initial accounts from the time of the incident stated that the alleged victim had refused to sign a formal statement with police in Spain, or to identify McGregor as the perpetrator, instead opting to return home to Ireland.
“A woman from Ireland has now officially made a complaint in relation to an alleged assault when she was on Mr. McGregor’s yacht,” an official statement delivered in early September 2022 read (h/t BJPenn.com). “Documents have now been sent from Ireland to Spain… When the woman was in Spain, she didn’t sign anything because she was determined to get home… The authorities in Ireland will be assisting their colleagues in Spain in this investigation.”
At the time, Spanish officials had apparently ruled out McGregor as the perpetrator based on their investigation and her lack of cooperation. However, that seems to have changed with the recent emergence of statements the alleged victim made to Ireland’s Garda police force after arriving back home.
“All his behaviour changed at that moment,” the alleged victim told officers (quotes via MMA Junkie). “It was as if he was possessed. I knew that I had to get off the boat because I thought that he was going to kill me. … We have mutual friends and I have met him numerous times. I can’t believe what he did to me. He is a criminal. I think he would have killed me if I hadn’t got off the yacht.”
The woman was purportedly among a group of friends who attended McGregor’s 34th birthday party at the Ocean Beach Club, in Ibiza, on July 16th. After the party she claimed she and several other guests went to McGregor’s yacht in the early hours of the morning of the 17th where, after several hours of socializing, she said the SBG Ireland talent became hostile towards her. Initially insulting her appearance, before she claims he kicked, punched, and threatened to drown her. Police reports state that she jumped off the yacht, into the water, where she was rescued by a Red Cross boat.
According to Ultima Hora, the woman claims that she suffered serious damage to her wrist when she fell after being struck by McGregor. She also reportedly stated that her unwillingness to give a statement to authorities at the time was due to shock, and the fact that she was still wearing nothing more than a bikini and plastic booties during their questioning, and just wanted to return to her hotel.
As a result of the Garda report, Ultima Hora states that the local magistrate has ordered the case to be re-opened. A parallel civil suit has also apparently been filed with the Irish court system.
Lawyers for the ‘Notorious’ fighter have maintained his innocence in the case, claiming that “Mr. McGregor is steadfast in his denial of all the accusations made by a guest on his boat.”
Recently, McGregor’s head coach, John Kavanagh was quoted as saying that he would “bet my house” on the fighter returning to action with the UFC in 2023. Bloody Elbow has reached out to the promotion for comment, but has not heard back at the time of publishing.
About the author: Zane Simon is a senior editor, writer and podcaster for Bloody Elbow. Host of the MMA Vivisection and 6th Round, he has covered MMA and the UFC since 2013. (full bio)
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