Most Talked-About Controversies Linked to Conor McGregor

Public opinion and media debates around Conor McGregor—discover key moments of controversy.

Conor McGregor is an Irish professional mixed martial artist, primarily known for his career in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He achieved the distinction of becoming the first UFC fighter to simultaneously hold championships in two weight classes: Featherweight and Lightweight. Before joining the UFC, he was also a simultaneous champion in Cage Warriors Fighting Championship (CWFC) for both Featherweight and Lightweight divisions. McGregor's accomplishments have solidified his status as a prominent figure in mixed martial arts.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

2009: Probation Act for Assault Offence

During his court appearance in October 2019, it was revealed that Conor McGregor was given the Probation Act in 2009 for an assault causing harm offence when he was an apprentice plumber.

2015: Accusations of Racially Taunting José Aldo

In 2015, ahead of his bout with José Aldo, Conor McGregor was accused of racially taunting the Brazilian fighter.

November 2017: Guilty Plea for Speeding in Rathcoole

In November 2017, Conor McGregor pleaded guilty to exceeding the speed limit in Rathcoole, County Dublin, and was fined €400.

November 2017: Involvement in Bellator 187 Incident

On November 10, 2017, at Bellator 187 in Dublin, Conor McGregor jumped the cage (though not a licensed cornerman) to celebrate his teammate Charlie Ward's win, confronting referee Marc Goddard and checking on the downed opponent John Redmond, knocking him down while he was trying to get up, before the fight was officially declared over.

2017: Accusations of Racism Towards Floyd Mayweather Jr.

In 2017, Conor McGregor was accused of racism after taunting boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. ahead of their August 26 boxing match, including telling him to "Dance for me, boy," and urging the crowd to yell obscenities at Mayweather and his family.

April 2018: Arrest and Charges for Barclays Center Attack

In April 2018, after attacking a bus at the Barclays Center, Conor McGregor turned himself in and was charged with three counts of assault and one count of criminal mischief. He was further charged with menacing and reckless endangerment at his arraignment.

April 2018: Khabib Nurmagomedov's Entourage Confronts Artem Lobov

On April 3, 2018, Khabib Nurmagomedov and his entourage cornered and slapped Artem Lobov at a hotel in Brooklyn, New York. Lobov is known to be close to McGregor.

April 2018: Attack on UFC 223 Bus

On April 5, 2018, during promotional appearances for UFC 223, Conor McGregor and a group attacked a bus carrying Khabib Nurmagomedov and other UFC 223 fighters, injuring Michael Chiesa and Ray Borg, who were subsequently removed from the card.

June 2018: Release on Bail After Barclays Center Incident

Following the Barclays Center incident, Conor McGregor was released on $50,000 bail until June 14, 2018, with permission to travel without restriction under the bail conditions.

September 2018: Chiesa's Lawsuit Against McGregor

On September 12, 2018, Michael Chiesa announced a lawsuit against Conor McGregor, citing pain, suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life as a result of the April 2018 attack on the UFC 223 bus.

October 2018: Post-Fight Brawl at UFC 229

Following his fight at UFC 229 on October 6, 2018, Conor McGregor was involved in a post-fight brawl after Khabib Nurmagomedov jumped out of the cage and attacked McGregor's training partner Dillon Danis. McGregor also punched Abubakar Nurmagomedov, leading to a scuffle.

October 2018: NSAC Complaint and Withholding of Nurmagomedov's Payment

Following the fight at UFC 229 on October 6, 2018, the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) filed a formal complaint against both Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov, and voted to release half of Nurmagomedov's $2 million fight payout immediately pending an investigation into his actions.

November 2018: Guilty Plea for Speeding in Kill

In November 2018, Conor McGregor pleaded guilty to speeding in Kill, County Kildare. He was fined €1,000 and disqualified from driving for six months.

December 2018: Sexual Assault Allegation in Dublin Hotel

In December 2018, Conor McGregor was under investigation by the Garda Síochána (police) following allegations of a sexual assault on a woman in a Dublin hotel.

December 2018: Alleged Assault and Rape in Dublin

In December 2018, Nikita Hand alleged that Conor McGregor violently beat and raped her in Dublin, leading to a trial in November 2024.

December 2018: NSAC Hearing for UFC 229 Brawl

In December 2018, both Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov faced indefinite bans from the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) pending an official hearing regarding the post-fight brawl at UFC 229.

December 2018: Court Case Impact on Sponsors

In light of the 2024 Dublin court case where McGregor was found to have assaulted and raped a woman in December 2018, IO Interactive video game company ceased its collaboration with him, marking the loss of his first sponsor.

December 2018: Court Case Impact on Proper No. Twelve

In the aftermath of a 2024 Dublin court case, in which McGregor was found to have assaulted and raped a woman in December 2018, Proximo Spirits announced it would no longer use McGregor's name or image on the drink Proper No. Twelve.

2018: Prior Convictions Revealed in Court

During his court appearance in October 2019, it was revealed that Conor McGregor had 18 prior convictions from 2009 to 2018, the majority of which were for driving offences.

2018: Assault and Rape Allegations

In 2018, McGregor was involved in a civil case where he was accused of assaulting and raping a woman, leading to legal proceedings years later.

2018: Declining Prosecution and Civil Claim Launch

In 2018, after prosecutors declined to prosecute McGregor for the alleged sexual assault, a civil claim for damages was launched in the High Court in January 2021.

January 2019: Suspension and Fine from NSAC

On January 29, 2019, the NSAC announced a six-month suspension for Conor McGregor (retroactive to October 6, 2018) and a $50,000 fine for his involvement in the UFC 229 post-fight brawl.

March 2019: Arrest in Miami Beach for Attacking a Fan

On March 11, 2019, Conor McGregor was arrested outside of the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach, Florida, after he attacked a fan taking a picture with a cellphone. He was charged with strong-armed robbery and criminal mischief and later released on a $5,000 bond.

April 2019: Assault at the Marble Arch Pub

On 6 April 2019, Conor McGregor assaulted a man at the Marble Arch pub, which he later purchased.

August 2019: Video Surfaces of McGregor Punching Man in a Pub

On August 15, 2019, TMZ Sports published a video showing Conor McGregor punching an older man at The Marble Arch Pub in Dublin on April 6, 2019. Irish police opened an investigation.

October 2019: First Court Appearance for Pub Assault

On October 11, 2019, Conor McGregor first appeared in court charged with assault for the incident at The Marble Arch Pub in Dublin. It was revealed that McGregor had 18 prior convictions from 2009 to 2018.

September 2020: Arrest in Corsica for Alleged Attempted Sexual Assault

On 10 September 2020, Conor McGregor was arrested on the French island of Corsica on suspicion of attempted sexual assault and indecent exposure for an incident alleged to have taken place in a bar. He was later released without charge.

October 2021: Alleged Assault on Francesco Facchinetti

On October 17, 2021, Conor McGregor allegedly assaulted Francesco Facchinetti, an Italian musician and TV presenter, in a nightclub in Rome, breaking Facchinetti's nose. Facchinetti filed charges against McGregor a few days later.

2021: Proceeds from Proper No. Twelve Deal

In late November 2022, news surfaced that Artem Lobov had sued McGregor, seeking five percent of the proceeds of the $600 million deal conducted in 2021.

March 2022: Arrest for Driving Offences in Dublin

On March 22, 2022, Conor McGregor was arrested in Dublin and charged with six driving offences, including dangerous driving, being uninsured, having no license, and failing to produce documents. His car was seized, but he was later released on bail, and his car was returned.

April 2022: Scheduled Court Appearance

In April 2022, Conor McGregor was scheduled to appear before Blanchardstown district court regarding his March 2022 arrest. If convicted, he could face a fine, imprisonment, or both.

June 2022: Court Appearance for Driving Offences

On June 23, 2022, Conor McGregor appeared in Blanchardstown District Court regarding the incidents of March 22, 2022. He was remanded on continuing bail pending "further charges" as part of a dangerous driving prosecution.

July 2022: Accusation of Assault on Yacht

In July 2022, a woman accused Conor McGregor of assaulting her aboard his yacht in Ibiza, Spain, during his birthday party. She claimed she was verbally abused and physically assaulted, leading her to jump off the yacht and sustain a broken arm.

September 2022: Additional Charge for Driving Offences

On September 8, 2022, Conor McGregor was charged with an additional charge of careless driving, adding to the six charges he already faced over the incident on March 22, 2022.

November 2022: Lobov Sues McGregor

In late November 2022, news surfaced that Lobov had sued McGregor, seeking five percent of the proceeds of the $600 million deal conducted in 2021.

2022: Attack on the Black Forge Inn

In 2022, the Black Forge Inn, owned by Conor McGregor, was targeted by petrol bombs.

January 2023: Lawsuit Denial and Legal Fees Order

In January 2023, the defamation, intimidation, and harassment lawsuit filed by Artem Lobov against Conor McGregor was denied by the judge, and Lobov was ordered to pay the legal fees.

January 2023: Trial Date Set and Postponed

In January 2023, the trial for Conor McGregor's driving offences was originally set to begin. However, it was postponed after McGregor's defense stated he was unwell. The trial was then ordered to start on July 31, 2024.

June 9, 2023: Sexual Assault Allegation at NBA Finals

On June 9, 2023, McGregor allegedly sexually assaulted a 49-year-old woman in a bathroom at the Kaseya Center, home of the Miami Heat, during an NBA Finals game. A lawsuit was filed against McGregor on January 15, 2025.

June 2023: NBA Finals Mascot Incident

On 10 June 2023, Conor McGregor appeared at Game Four of the 2023 NBA Finals in Miami, Florida, to promote his pain relief spray in a planned skit with the Miami Heat's mascot, Burnie. McGregor proceeded to punch the man wearing the mascot costume twice, resulting in the man being treated in a local hospital emergency room. Most of the crowd booed McGregor for his actions.

June 2023: Allegation of Sexual Assault at Miami Heat Arena

On 11 June 2023, Miami police received a report that Conor McGregor had sexually assaulted a woman the previous night in a restroom at the Miami Heat arena, after Game Four of the NBA Finals. The case was later dropped on 18 October.

November 2023: Anti-Immigration Statements and Investigation

In November 2023, following the stabbing of a woman and three children in Dublin, Conor McGregor made multiple anti-immigration statements on social media, leading to a criminal probe into incitement to hatred. The Twitter posts were later deleted.

November 2023: Criticism of Taoiseach Leo Varadkar

On 26 November 2023, Conor McGregor criticized then Taoiseach Leo Varadkar for his views on immigration and for his failure to mention the Palestinian militant group Hamas when he wrote about an Irish hostage released by the group.

2023: Controversial Comments on Dublin Riots

In 2023, McGregor made comments on the Dublin riots and immigration policy in Ireland, sparking controversy due to the sensitive nature of the issues.

June 2024: Attack on Nikita Hand's Partner

In June 2024, Nikita Hand's partner was stabbed, and their home was invaded by attackers wearing balaclavas who smashed windows. This information was withheld from the jury during the trial against McGregor.

July 2024: Sentencing for Driving Offences

In July 2024, Conor McGregor received a two-year driving ban and a five-month suspended sentence for his driving offences, on condition that he keeps the peace for two years.

November 2024: Civil Case Ruling for Assault and Rape

In November 2024, an Irish High Court ruled in a civil case that McGregor had assaulted and raped a woman in 2018, ordering him to pay over €248,000 in damages.

November 2024: Verdict in Rape Trial

On 22 November 2024, the jury in the High Court in Dublin found that Conor McGregor had raped Nikita Hand in December 2018. McGregor was ordered to pay Hand nearly €250,000 in damages.

December 2024: Ordered to Pay Legal Costs

In December 2024, McGregor was ordered to pay the victim's legal costs, amounting to approximately €1,500,000, following the civil court ruling.

December 2024: Legal Costs Order and Contempt Proceedings

On 5 December 2024, Justice Owens ordered Conor McGregor to pay the entirety of Nikita Hand's legal costs, approximately €1,500,000, and stated that he may begin contempt of court proceedings against McGregor for his social media comments about the case after it concluded.

2024: Delisting of McGregor-Linked Drinks

Following a 2024 Dublin court case, in which McGregor was found to have assaulted and raped a woman in December 2018, Musgrave delisted McGregor-linked drinks, leading to SuperValu, Costcutter, Centra, and Carry Out ceasing to sell McGregor's Forged Irish Stout and Proper No. Twelve whiskey. Tesco and Ocado additionally pulled all alcoholic products associated with McGregor from their stores.

2024: Advertising Standards Authority upheld complaints

In 2024, complaints about the sexualised nature of Forged Irish Stout's advertising were upheld by the Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland.

March 2025: Intention to Stand in Irish Presidential Election

In March 2025, McGregor announced his intention to stand as an independent candidate in the 2025 Irish presidential election and expressed views dubbed anti-immigration, far-right, and national populist.

March 2025: McGregor Not Charged for Incitement

In March 2025, it was announced that McGregor would not be charged for incitement, following his social media statements in November 2023 after the stabbings in Dublin.

March 2025: White House Visit and Political Aspirations

On 17 March 2025, Conor McGregor visited the White House in Washington DC at the invitation of U.S. President Donald Trump, for a Saint Patrick's Day event. During the visit, he made controversial comments about immigration and announced his intention to stand as an independent candidate in the 2025 Irish presidential election.