Conor McGregor suffered a disastrous return to the octagon after a five-year absence on Saturday night, when he lost to Max Holloway at UFC 329 in Las Vegas.
The Dubliner has pledged to return to the octagon despite sustaining yet another significant injury.
The former two-division UFC champion lasted just 69 seconds before apparently injuring his knee. Supporters quickly speculated that McGregor was carrying an injury entering the bout, but the Irishman maintained he was fit – and vowed he would be back.
“I was so sharp and so ready for this fight I cannot believe what has happened,” he posted on social media. “The talk of me being off while walking into the fight is nonsense.
“I was calm, ready, and confident. I am in shock what has taken place. The devil is literally staring at me right in front of my face here. I am not engaging. I will be at church tomorrow. I will overcome this. I will not be deterred. I will return.”
Any suggestion that the Dubliner’s pulling power had waned in America over recent years was swiftly put to rest at the pre-fight press conference, where McGregor was met with a thunderous reception from a packed crowd at the T-Mobile Arena.
Yet back home in Ireland, his standing has taken a considerable knock following a string of incidents over the past decade.
Here is a list of controversies McGregor has been embroiled in since his 2017 boxing bout with Floyd Mayweather:.
November 10, 2017: Attends a Bellator MMA event at the 3Arena in support of his SBG Ireland teammate Charlie Ward. Following Ward’s win, he jumps into the cage in celebration before shoving referee Marc Goddard when told to leave, as he was not an official cornerman
April 5, 2018: Launches a dolly at a bus window carrying UFC athletes to a press event at New York’s Barclays Center. The shattered glass leaves several fighters injured, including Michael Chiesa and Ray Borg, forcing them to withdraw from UFC 223, scheduled just days later.
McGregor is subsequently charged with three counts of assault and criminal mischief. Following a plea deal, McGregor pled guilty to a single charge of disorderly conduct.
The agreement required him to complete five days of community service, undertake an anger management programme and pay full restitution to the bus company for damages.
September 20, 2018: Ridicules Khabib Nurmagomedov, a devout Muslim, after the Russian declined to drink a shot of his Proper 12 Whiskey at a press conference. He then labelled Nurmagomedov’s Egyptian manager Ali Abdelaziz, also a Muslim, a ‘terrorist rat’.
October 6, 2018: His loss to Nurmagomedov is marred by a mass brawl, leading to McGregor being handed a $50,000 fine and six-month suspension from the Nevada State Athletic Commission for his role in the incident.
March 11, 2019: Arrested and charged with strong-armed robbery and criminal mischief after an altercation with a fan in Miami who was trying to photograph him. Both charges and a subsequent civil action are later dropped.
March 26, 2019: Reports emerge that he faces investigation over an alleged sexual assault at a Dublin hotel in December 2018. This subsequently results in civil proceedings being brought to court by Nikita Hand.
Shortly after the story emerged, McGregor declared his retirement from MMA for the second time.
April 3, 2019: Once again targeted Nurmagomedov’s faith by posting an image of the Russian fighter with his wife in a niqab from their wedding, captioning it: “Your wife is a towel mate”. The post was subsequently removed, with McGregor stating: “I want to move forward, with my fans of all faiths and all backgrounds.”
August 15, 2019: Footage emerges showing him punching 50-year-old Desmond Keogh at The Marble Arch Pub in Dublin after Keogh refused a shot of his whiskey.
November 1, 2019: Admits guilt to assault in relation to the pub incident and is handed a €1,000 fine.
September 10, 2020: Detained on the French island of Corsica following allegations of sexual assault and indecent exposure connected to a reported bar incident. The charges were later dropped in April 2021 owing to insufficient evidence.
July 10, 2021: After his second loss to Dustin Poirier in six months, McGregor, while sitting on the canvas with a broken leg, yelled that the American’s wife had been messaging him.
September 12, 2021: Got into an altercation with American rapper Machine Gun Kelly on the red carpet at the MTV Video Music Awards at Barclays Center. McGregor tried to hit Kelly but didn’t make contact.
October 16, 2021: Italian musician and television personality Francesco Facchinetti claimed McGregor attacked him at a Rome nightclub. Facchinetti alleged that McGregor broke his nose and later filed charges.
McGregor’s representatives never publicly provided a comprehensive response to the allegations, and the matter has remained a private legal issue since.
March 22, 2022: Held on driving-related charges in Dublin, with Gardaí seizing his Bentley.
November 22, 2022: Faces legal action from former friend and training partner Artem Lobov over unpaid earnings from the sale of his Proper Twelve Whiskey business. The high-profile High Court case reaches a settlement in April 2026, though the terms of the agreement were not made public.
January 24, 2023: An Irish woman alleges McGregor attacked her aboard his yacht in Ibiza during July 2022, claiming he hit her and threatened to drown her. McGregor denies the allegations.
Her vehicle is subsequently set alight weeks later before she withdraws her civil proceedings.
June 9, 2023: Punches Miami Heat mascot Burnie during a comedy skit at Game 4 of the NBA Finals, landing a further blow after the mascot falls to the ground. The individual inside the costume is taken to hospital.
June 11, 2023: Faces allegations of sexually assaulting a woman at the basketball game in Miami. She claims he “aggressively kissed her” while attempting to pressure her into sexual activity.
McGregor denies the accusation, with charges later dropped several months on due to insufficient evidence.
November 23, 2023: Declares Ireland is at “war” following a stabbing attack in Dublin. The incident sparks the Dublin riots, with McGregor tweeting: “Do not let any Irish property be took over unannounced. Evaporate said property.”
In the aftermath of the riots he writes: “You reap what you sow”.
July 31, 2024: Admits guilt at Blanchardstown District Court to dangerous and careless driving offences relating to an incident in March 2022. He is handed a five-month suspended prison sentence, a €5,000 fine, and a two-year driving ban.
November 22, 2024: A High Court jury finds McGregor civilly liable for the assault of Nikita Hand, who alleges he raped her in a hotel room in 2018. She is awarded close to €250,000 in damages.
March 17, 2025: Launches an anti-immigration tirade before meeting Donald Trump at the White House on St Patrick’s Day and criticises the Irish government. He claims “Ireland is on the cusp of losing its Irishness” and that an “illegal immigration racket” is “running ravage on the country”.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin condemns the comments.
July 31, 2025: His appeal against the Nikita Hand jury verdict is rejected.
September 15, 2025: Withdraws from the Irish presidential election, though insists it won’t be the last election he contests.
October 7, 2025: Receives an 18-month ban from the UFC anti-doping programme Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD) following three missed drug tests between September 2024 and June 2025. The suspension is backdated and expires on March 20, 2026.
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