Conor McGregor refuted any involvement in the sexual assault allegations during his courtroom testimony.
“The Notorious” is currently at the center of a serious sexual assault case, with accusations from Dublin-based hairdresser Nikita Hand, who has also implicated a person named James Lawrence in the ordeal.
As per a recent report by the Irish Mirror, McGregor testified at the High Court in Dublin on Wednesday, addressing a civil lawsuit in which he is accused by Hand of raping her in a penthouse suite at the Beacon Hotel in Sandyford, Dublin on Dec. 9, 2018.
For the first time during the ongoing trial, the former two-division UFC champion took the stand on Wednesday. He testified that his encounter with Hand was entirely consensual, following prior online conversations, and firmly denied ever coercing anyone into an act against their will.
“Your client is full of lies,” McGregor said to Hand’s lawyer. “Everything is a lie.”
Conor McGregor has told the High Court that claims of rape against him are "full of lies," stating he and the woman had consensual sex. The civil case, brought by Nikita Hand, also involves his friend James Lawrence. Both men deny the allegations.#VMNews | @nicole_gernon pic.twitter.com/ENqQcbyrdO
— Virgin Media News (@VirginMediaNews) November 13, 2024
McGregor also categorically rejected any claims of inflicting bruising on Hand. The UFC icon was accused of restraining her on the bed, with the alleged victim unable to fight back. However, the Irishman’s defense team has consistently argued that the accuser is attempting to exploit the situation and profit from a distorted version of events.
Hand has claimed that on the evening in dispute, she was with McGregor and that his behavior grew progressively aggressive after they went to the hotel room following a Christmas party. She stated that she and a woman named Danielle had consumed drugs and alcohol offered by the UFC fighter.
The allegations in question first emerged in December 2018, but no charges were brought against McGregor until January 2021, following a two-year investigation by Irish authorities. Despite the lengthy probe, McGregor was not prosecuted.
However, a personal injury lawsuit was filed in the same month, and in October 2023, a civil trial date was set, with Hand now seeking an undisclosed sum in damages.
Read More: Daniel Cormier Explains Why He Avoids Interviewing Conor McGregor
Continue Reading Conor McGregor Defends Against Sexual Assault Allegations In Courtroom Testimony at MMA News.
The Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson press conference will have all of the fighters in Friday’s blockbuster event in Irving, Texas.
Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, Jake Paul, Katie Taylor, and Amanda Serrano will all speak to the media and the fans for the final time at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory on Tuesday evening.
The Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson press conference is expected to begin at 7 p.m. ET.
Jon Jones slammed the door on any chance that he’ll ever fight Tom Aspinall but it turns out his reasoning is much more personal that he originally stated.
As he prepared for his return against Stipe Miocic at UFC 309, Jones said numerous times that he wasn’t interested in Aspinall because the fight didn’t really do much in terms of his career or legacy. On Tuesday, Jones doubled down on why he’s not interested in Aspinall as an opponent but then he blasted the British born heavyweight for his attitude in trying to make the fight happen.
“If I’m being completely honest, I feel like Tom’s been such an assh*le that I don’t want to do business with him,” Jones said during UFC 309 media day. “His fans have been so annoying and obviously you don’t get this far in a career being affected by fans or what not, but he’s just an assh*le. He’s 30 so he’s from this influencer generation where you hop online with the t-shirt sales and all that. I’m past that type of stuff. I’m like bro if you had a little bit more respect then maybe we could have something out. I just don’t even want to do business with him.
“At the end of the day, this is a business. Fighting me gives him the opportunity to change his life forever. I don’t even want to give him the opportunity. He just played his cards wrong with me personally. I’m three years from being a 40-year-old grown man. The press conference, going through the whole shebang with him, I’d rather not do.”
Aspinall has been rather vocal about his disdain for Jones fighting Miocic on Saturday rather than facing him as the interim heavyweight champion. When he addressed the matchup on his YouTube channel just ahead of UFC 309, Aspinall called Jones and Miocic “two old farts” who are fighting for the “most disputed title” in the promotion right now.
What was largely an argument about competition has now turned into name calling with a whole lot of trash talk and Jones just wants no part of it.
On the flipside, Jones looks at a potential matchup against somebody like UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira that checks every box he wants as far as an opponent to keep him going after he faces Miocic on Saturday.
Pereira has already won titles in two different divisions in the UFC, he’s a former GLORY kickboxing champion and now arguably one of the biggest stars on the entire roster. Add to that, Jones feels like Pereira has been very respectful towards him and that might be the one trait that matters most right now.
“Pereira on the other side — respectful, cool, barely says much. I’ll do business with you,” Jones said. “I would risk it all with a human being like you. You actually have the accolades to back up your shit. The other guy is just a big mouth who’s hot today.
“There’s been so many guys who’s hot today who are just gone. Sergei [Pavlovich] was in the same position not too long ago and now he’s starting to fall off already. I’ve just been around this sport too long to give a big mouth who’s hot today the opportunity.”
As much as he dislikes Aspinall as a person, Jones understands the narrative being built up around the interim heavyweight champion as a serious threat to his nearly unblemished resume.
Maybe that’s true but Jones also knows there have been plenty of fighters just like that throughout his career who were supposed to be his equal.
“I get that Tom is an exciting fighter,” Jones said. “I get that finally after 16 years we found somebody who is seven years younger than me and 30 pounds bigger than me, we finally found someone who may give me a great challenge and everyone wants to see it so bad. For me, what’s in it for me? He changes nothing if I beat him.
“Beating Tom is just like beating Ciryl Gane. Has a whole country behind him, he’s hot right now — what happens to me after I beat him? Nothing changes for me.”
Jones can’t predict what happens after UFC 309 but assuming he gets through Miocic, he’s given the organization the fight and the opponent that would keep him around for a little while longer.
If the UFC is adamant on making the fight against Aspinall then Jones has no problem just calling it career and riding off into the sunset.
“The main goal is to get past Stipe. If I can do it in a really dominant, devastating fashion then the desire in my heart would be like OK, now it’s Alex Pereira,” Jones said. “If the UFC doesn’t want that to happen because ultimately it’s the boss’ decision, then it won’t happen and I’ll just move on with my life.
“One of the ways I look at it is would you guys rather lose me or get one more super fight and the only super fight that makes sense to me — not to everyone else but to me and my team — is Alex Pereira.”
Celebrity pugilist Jake Paul collides with former WBC heavyweight champion Mike Tyson in a professionally sanctioned boxing match on Friday night (Nov. 15, 2024) at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. In the Netflix-streamed co-main event, undisputed super lightweight champion Katie Taylor rematches unified featherweight titleholder Amanda Serrano.
All four combatants will take the stage on Weds. afternoon (Nov. 13) for the “Paul vs. Tyson” final press conference, streaming LIVE at 7 p.m. ET in the embedded video above. In addition, pre-fight face offs will be conducted at the conclusion of today’s presser in “The Lone Star State.” Don’t expect “El Gallo” to get a warm welcome from fight fans.
“It’s crazy to think that in my second pro fight, I went viral for knocking out Nate Robinson on Mike Tyson’s undercards,” Paul said in a recent press release. “Now, less than four years later, I’m stepping up to face Tyson myself to see if I have what it takes to beat one of boxing’s most notorious fighters and biggest icon.”
“My sights are set on becoming a world champion,” Paul continued. “Now I have a chance to prove myself against the greatest heavyweight champion ever, the baddest man on the planet and the most dangerous boxer of all time.”
For the finalized “Paul vs. Tyson” fight card and Netflix lineup click here.
By nearly every metric, Fedor's accomplishments and legacy dwarf that of Miocic (who, to be fair, is the UFC HW GOAT). Let's delve into the numbers.
Fedor: 40–7 (1) pro record, Fighter of the Decade (2000-2009), Pride HW Champion (3 defenses), 12 elite wins over highly ranked opponents, 9-1 against UFC Champions.
Stipe: 20–4 pro record, UFC HW Champion (4 defenses), 10 elite wins over highly ranked opponents, 6-3 against UFC Champions.
Now, let's take a deeper look into their careers. Fedor went essentially undefeated in his prime (the sole loss being a cut that wasn't actually that bad, a highly disputed loss), tore through the heavyweight division for a full decade as a 6 foot heavyweight (he arguably had a middleweight / light heavyweight frame), and was one of the great innovators of the sport's history, particularly as a transition fighter and in his vicious application of GnP. Fedor beat a who's who of heavyweight greats from the era, including Nogueira 2x, Crocop, Arlovski, Big Tim, Coleman, and Randleman (Couture being the only major heavyweight champ of the era that Fedor didn't fight, and not for a lack of trying by both fighters). In the second decade of Fedor's career, his prime years behind him, he went 9-6, and became more of a burst counterpuncher, clocking in 7 of 9 wins via KO/TKO.
Stipe had a legendary career, and was certainly the most accomplished UFC HW Champion. A true heavyweight, 6'4 and 235 lbs with a six pack, Miocic is one of the great boxer-wrestlers of heavyweight history. He had a game which was simple but effective, using crisp straight punches and good movement to outduel most of his opponents, although he was notably felled by 4 of his rivals in his prime UFC run (3 of those 4 losses by KO/TKO). Despite losing to those 4 men, Miocic was also able to score wins over 3 of them, and overall holds some great name wins, including Cormier, Ngannou, Cigano, Werdum, Arlovski, and Overeem. Unlike Fedor, Miocic's career largely took place inside of one decade; the second decade of Miocic's career contains his close decision win in the rubber match with Cormier, and getting starched by Ngannou.
At the end of the day, Fedor simply had higher highs in his career, had a better prime, and had more longevity than Stipe. If Miocic beats Jones, it does breathe life into the second decade of his career, but won't be enough to unseat Fedor as the heavyweight GOAT.
Don’t expect Stipe Miocic to get drawn into a war of words with Jon Jones.
With just days remaining until they meet in the UFC 309 main event, the seemingly respectful showdown took an odd turn after UFC Countdown aired prior to fight week. In the feature, Miocic said “bring it on, bitch” when addressing Jones and that apparently upset the reigning UFC heavyweight champion, who took to social media to fire back at his upcoming opponent.
“Hiring black fighters to mimic me will not help you, Stipe,” Jones wrote. “And you shouldn’t have called me a bitch, the disrespect wasn’t necessary. Let’s play.”
Hiring black fighters to mimic me will not help you Stipe. And you shouldn’t have called me a bitch, the disrespect wasn’t necessary. Let’s play. #UFCcountdown
— BONY (@JonnyBones) November 11, 2024
Miocic has no idea why Jones got so rattled by such an innocuous comment, but he’s not spending a lot of time thinking about it.
“I keep talking about that,” Miocic said during UFC 309 media day. “He was literally telling everyone he was going to beat my ass. I’m almost positive. Did he not say that before [I called him a bitch]? Sorry. Talk shit about me but whatever.”
If anything got Miocic heated it was Jones’ claim that he was “hiring Black fighters” to help him prepare for the fight.
“That was bullshit because they’re my teammates,” Miocic said. “They’re like, ‘We’re not getting paid?’ Apparently, I’m hiring people, too. Whatever.”
Throughout his career, Jones has engaged in a few tense rivalries, perhaps none uglier than his longstanding feud with Daniel Cormier. He also went through something similar with former teammate Rashad Evans after Jones became UFC champion while they were originally training under the same coaches.
Perhaps Jones’ comments towards Miocic are a way to get him more amped up for the fight or maybe it’s just a promotional tool to stir up more pay-per-view buys. Whatever the case, Miocic doesn’t really care much about what Jones has to say about him.
“Maybe [that’s what he needs to get motivated], maybe not,” Miocic said. “I don’t know what he’s thinking but some of the stuff, I’m just like OK. I literally had no idea [what he said] until somebody told me. It’s funny. It’s just comical. It’s actually very funny.”
It turns out his philosophy of not paying much attention to what’s said about him was an epiphany for Miocic that changed his career forever.
In the past, he admits that off-handed comments from fighters or fans would get under his skin, but Miocic learned over time that none of it really matters.
“In the beginning of my career, I was a little sensitive about it,” Miocic said. “You don’t know me, I don’t know you but why are you saying shit like that to me? I would get terrible [direct messages] and stuff. Like what is wrong with you? You don’t know me.
“But I literally just stopped caring because I realized, they don’t know me, I don’t know them. They’re just pissed off about something and they’re just trying to take it out on me. I could care less honestly. It’s the best thing I ever did in my life.”
Just because he doesn’t give fiery comments any oxygen doesn’t mean that Miocic has escaped that kind of vitriol coming his way. The difference these days, much like with what Jones had to say about him, is that Miocic pretty much just ignores it and moves on.
“You get hate all the time,” Miocic said. “You get DMs all the time [saying,] ‘You’re a piece of shit, I hope you die.’ Whatever. It is what it is.”
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