An Irish civil jury concluded on Friday that MMA fighter Connor McGregor sexually assaulted a woman in a hotel penthouse following a night of intense partying. According to reports, the woman was awarded nearly $257,000 in damages after alleging that McGregor “brutally raped and battered her” on December 9, 2018, leaving her with severe bruising and lasting trauma from PTSD. McGregor denied the accusations, claiming their encounter was consensual and that she fabricated the allegations.
The woman’s attorney emphasized that while she never claimed to be perfect and had been seeking a fun night out, the evening spiraled into a harrowing ordeal. Representing her, John Gordon argued that McGregor, still fuming from a high-profile defeat in Las Vegas two months prior, unleashed his frustration on his client.
Addressing the jury, Gordon stated, “He’s not a man, he’s a coward.” “A devious coward and you should treat him for what he is.” McGregor allegedly restrained her in a series of choke holds, reportedly saying, “Now you know how I felt in the octagon when I tapped out three times,” a reference to his Ultimate Fighting Championship defeat. Fearing for her life, she thought of her daughter, terrified she might never see her again.
The woman said, “He let me go and I remember saying I was sorry, as I felt that I did something wrong and I wanted to reassure him that I wouldn’t tell anyone so he wouldn’t hurt me again.”
McGregor Denies Assault, Defense Challenges Accuser’s Credibility
McGregor described their encounter as intense and energetic but denied it was rough, asserting that she “She never said ‘no’ or stopped” him. He dismissed the allegations as “a full-blown lie among many lies,” further rejecting claims of a chokehold, stating, “How anyone could believe that me, as a prideful person, would highlight my shortcomings.”
McGregor’s attorney urged jurors to put aside any personal biases against the fighter. Attorney Remy Farrell voiced, “You may have an active dislike of him, some of you may even loathe him – there is no point pretending that the situation might be otherwise.” “I’m not asking you to invite him to Sunday brunch.”
The defense contended that the woman never mentioned McGregor threatening her life during her initial interviews with investigators. They presented surveillance footage that allegedly captured her embracing McGregor and kissing his arm after their exit from the hotel room, with one defense lawyer noting she appeared “overjoyed.” McGregor, in his initial police questioning, provided a written statement, but on his attorney’s counsel, he declined to answer more than 100 subsequent questions.
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