Two companies have severed ties with Conor McGregor after a civil court jury in Ireland found him liable for assault, ordering him to pay nearly €250,000 to Nikita Hand. The mixed martial arts fighter was accused of raping her in a Dublin hotel in 2018.
Proximo Spirits, owner of the Irish whiskey brand Proper No 12, announced it will no longer use McGregor’s name or image in marketing. “Going forward, we do not plan to use Mr McGregor’s name and likeness in the marketing of the brand,” the company told the Irish Independent.
Video game developer IO Interactive also ended its collaboration with McGregor, who had appeared as a fighter in the game Hitman. In a statement on X, the company said: “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.”
The ruling followed a civil case brought by Nikita Hand, who alleged McGregor “brutally raped and battered” her in a Dublin hotel penthouse after a night of partying. She said the incident left her heavily bruised and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. McGregor, 36, denied the allegations, claiming the encounter was consensual.
The jury of eight women and four men deliberated for approximately six hours before finding McGregor liable for assault. The case has led to significant reputational damage and financial consequences for the athlete.
