Posted on: November 27, 2024, 02:57h.
Last updated on: November 27, 2024, 02:57h.
Last week’s jury decision in an Ireland civil court that Conor McGregor was liable for a sexual assault of a woman in a hotel room in December 2018 is starting to impact the fighter on the marketing and endorsement front.
Two companies – Proximo Spirits, owner of Irish whisky brand Proper No. 12, and video game developer IO Interactive – announced they are cutting ties with McGregor.
McGregor: I Know I Made Mistakes
The jury ordered McGregor to pay her 248,000 Euros ($258,000 USD). McGregor testified the sex was consensual. The woman testified McGregor, “brutally raped and battered” her in a Dublin hotel after a night of partying.
On Monday, McGregor, 36, released a statement on X:
People want to hear from me, I needed time. I know I made mistakes. Six years ago, I should have never responded to her outreaches. I should have shut the party down. I should never have stepped out on the woman I love the most in the world.
That’s all on me. As much as I regret it, everything that happened that night was consensual and all the witnesses present swore to that under oath. I have instructed my legal team to appeal the decision.
I can’t go back and I will move forward. I am beyond grateful to my family, friends and supporters all over the world who have stayed by my side. That’s it. No more. Getting back to the gym – the fight game awaits!”
Last Fought in 2021
McGregor hasn’t fought in the UFC Octagon since breaking his leg in a TKO loss to Dustin Poirier in July 2021. He was supposed to make his comeback against Michael Chandler at UFC 303 in June but had to pull out weeks before because of an injured toe. McGregor has lost three of his last four UFC fights.
According to IO Interactive, in a statement on X:
“In light of the recent court ruling regarding Conor McGregor, IO Interactive has made the decision to cease its collaboration with the athlete, effective immediately. We take this matter very seriously and cannot ignore its implications. Consequently, we will begin removing all content featuring Mr. McGregor from our storefronts starting today.”
Proximo told the Irish Independent newspaper that it will no longer use McGregor’s name or image on the drink. The company purchased the whisky brand from McGregor and partners in 2021 in a $600 million deal, but he continued to attach it to his personal brand, and promote it on social media.
