Michael Chandler has reacted to Conor McGregor being found liable in his civil 𝑠e𝑥ual assault lawsuit.
The jury found that McGregor should pay Nikita Ni Lamhain approximately $258,440 after being found liable for 𝑠e𝑥ual assault. The lawsuit accused McGregor of 𝑠e𝑥ual assault in 2018 after an incident at a Dublin hotel. James Lawrence, McGregor’s friend, was also accused. While Lawrence was cleared, McGregor was held to account. The Irishman intends to appeal, but he has already suffered financial consequences.
He has been dropped by The Hitman video game franchise and The Proper No. 12 Irish Whiskey brand. Airports in Dublin and Cork have also removed his alcoholic beverages, with a danger that other companies could follow suit. In addition, Irish politician Ruth Coppinger has supported the idea of boycotting McGregor’s products. This raises serious questions about McGregor’s future in the UFC. He has not returned to the Octagon since his UFC 264 appearance in 2021.
Chandler Reacts
He suffered a loss to Dustin Poirier as the latter broke his leg. His comeback against Chandler also failed. They have been rivals since their days on the TUF 31 series. But their fight was pulled after McGregor injured his toe. The Notorious is currently without an opponent, as even an announcement over a Dan Hooker fight has not happened. Despite all the scrutiny that McGregor is under, Chandler is still open to facing him.
“I don’t know the legal ramifications, I don’t know what all that stuff looks like. I do know, if I were in that position, the last thing I want to do is not be training and not be moving forward toward a common goal. So, I’m sure he wants to get back into training. That’s what his statement said.
“It’s a horrible position all around, for him and everyone involved. It’s a tough spot. I don’t have anything else to say about it, but the best thing he can do, most likely, is to get back and move toward a common goal… Why not fight me? Why not be training to fight me? Middle of next year, International Fight Week, or before that, as soon as possible… We can make that fight happen, ASAP,” Chandler said
What’s Next?
The problem facing Chandler is that the McGregor fight is not as big as it would have been. The press conference for the initial fight sold out in just nine minutes. It was also on track to set a UFC live gate record of over $20 million. That was based on the fact that McGregor was having his first fight in over three years. But the civil lawsuit allegations and the subsequent fallout has now divided MMA fans.
There has been a split in McGregor’s fanbase, with a certain subset not keen on seeing the fighter return. That ultimately will affect the bottom line as to whether the UFC wants to put on that fight. However, with McGregor still having two fights left on his UFC deal, he still has to consider where he goes next. Boxing and BKFC bouts may not appeal to the wider fan base. But it is anyone’s guess as to whether his popularity is still enough to make the Chandler fight.