Conor McGregor plans to challenge the ruling of a civil lawsuit in Ireland, where he was held liable for sexual assault.
On Friday, a jury ruled in favor of Nikita Hand, who accused former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor of sexually assaulting her in December 2018. The Dublin high court found McGregor culpable for the offense and ordered him to pay €248,000 (roughly $257,000) in damages to the complainant.
While “The Notorious” chose to remain silent as he left the court after the verdict, he later took to X to announce his intention to contest the ruling. He claimed that the jury had been denied crucial evidence that had been previously reviewed by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
“I will be appealing today’s decision,” McGregor wrote. “The judge’s instruction and the modest award given was for assault, not for aggravated or exemplary damages. I am disappointed that the jury did not hear all the evidence that the DPP reviewed. I am with my family now, focused on my future. Thank you for all my support worldwide.”
Last week, McGregor vehemently denied the allegations against him in his testimony at the high court, where he was accused of sexually assaulting Hand in a penthouse suite at the Beacon Hotel in Sandyford, Dublin, on December 9, 2018.
Hand sought compensation across multiple categories, including general, special, aggravated, and punitive damages, citing both the incident itself and her inability to work due to the mental health toll it took.
She claimed that McGregor held her down on a bed, leaving her unable to defend herself. Meanwhile, the Irishman’s defense team steadfastly argued throughout the trial that Hand was attempting to manipulate the situation, benefiting from a skewed and false portrayal of what had transpired.