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Conor McGregor, U.F.C. Fighter, Is Held Liable for Sexual Assault in Ireland
The mixed martial arts fighter known as “Notorious” was ordered to pay the equivalent of about $260,000 to a woman who said he raped her in 2018.
A woman who had accused the mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor of raping her in a hotel penthouse in 2018 was awarded nearly 250,000 euros, or about $260,000, in damages on Friday after a jury found him liable for sexual assault in a civil trial in Dublin.
Mr. McGregor was previously the subject of a criminal investigation in Ireland, his home country, in connection with the allegations, but was not charged.
After the verdict on Friday, the woman, Nikita Hand, spoke outside the courthouse, her hands shaking as she read from a page of remarks. She said she hoped the outcome would send a message to victims of sexual assault to “speak up.”
“You have a voice,” she said.
The allegations have dogged Mr. McGregor, a star fighter known as Notorious who has been credited with helping to popularize mixed martial arts and the Ultimate Fighting Championship, or U.F.C., and who remains a major figure among fans even though it has been three years since his last fight.
A hardscrabble Irishman with a foul mouth and his own name tattooed across his ribs, Mr. McGregor became famous globally not only for his feats in the octagon, but also for his back story and his frequent violent outbursts.
Not long before rising to become one of the U.F.C.’s most recognized names, he was destitute and living with his mother.
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