A civil lawsuit accusing mixed martial arts superstar Conor McGregor of sexual assault at a high-profile NBA game has been voluntarily dismissed by the woman who filed it.
Lawsuit Withdrawn Following Prosecutors' Decision
Legal representatives for the woman, identified in court documents as a 49-year-old Wall Street executive, filed a notice of voluntary dismissal at a Florida court on Tuesday. This move comes after prosecutors had already decided not to pursue criminal charges in relation to the alleged incident, which is said to have occurred in June 2023.
The 37-year-old Irish fighter, one of the Ultimate Fighting Championship's most famous and bankable athletes, had consistently denied the allegations of sexual battery. The case stemmed from an event following Game 4 of the NBA finals between the Miami Heat and the Denver Nuggets, which McGregor attended as part of a sponsorship deal for a pain relief spray.
The initial complaint alleged that McGregor met the anonymous woman in the VIP section after the game. It further claimed that an acquaintance of the fighter later escorted her to a men's restroom, where she accused McGregor of assaulting her in a toilet stall.
Separate Civil Rape Case in Ireland
This development occurs against the backdrop of another significant legal matter involving McGregor in his home country. Last year, a jury in Ireland found McGregor civilly liable for assault in a separate case brought by Nikita Hand.
Ms Hand had accused McGregor of raping her at a Dublin hotel in December 2018. The court ordered the fighter to pay damages of approximately £187,000 (around $250,000). McGregor denied these allegations, stating their encounter was consensual, and subsequently launched an appeal. However, that appeal was unsuccessful.
Speaking outside the court after the appeal verdict, Ms Hand said the process had 'retraumatised' her as she was forced to relive the events. She urged other survivors not to be silenced, stating, 'You deserve to be heard. You also deserve justice.'
Impact on McGregor's Fighting Future
The dismissal of the Florida lawsuit removes a major legal cloud from McGregor's immediate horizon. However, the fighter is currently serving an 18-month suspension from competition after missing three drug tests within a 12-month period.
Because the suspension was backdated to begin in September 2024, McGregor will be eligible to fight again by March of next year. This timeline could potentially allow him to feature on a speculated UFC event scheduled for June, which some reports have linked to celebrations for former US President Donald Trump's birthday.
The closure of this civil case in the United States marks the end of one legal chapter for the controversial fighter, even as the findings from the Irish civil case remain a part of his public record.
