Latest news with #BareKnuckle
Irish Daily Mirror
4 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Conor McGregor breaks silence after losing appeal over 'rape' case
Conor McGregor has broken his silence just hours after he lost an appeal in a civil case in which Nikita Hand accused him of rape. McGregor, who was not in attendance at the High Court, lost his appeal on all five grounds that it was taken. A jury ruled in favour of Ms Hand last November, who said she was raped by the former MMA fighter and awarded her almost €250,000 in damages. And McGregor, who has an estimated net worth in excess of €200m, must also pay Nikita Hand €2m in legal costs. But in his first social media post since the appeal verdict, McGregor did not mention the court hearing. Instead, he promoted his own-brand stout and an upcoming Bare Knuckle fight card, a company in which he has a minority ownership stake. McGregor would then go on to post multiple photos in his Instagram story promoting the stout. The Dubliner found himself in hot water with High Court Judge Alexander Owens after last year's outcome when he took to social media, saying it was a "kangaroo court". "The social media post was constructed to be an attack on the jury and cannot be tolerated," said Mr Justice Owens at the time. "If he did post the text, it was highly irresponsible," the judge said. "It is most unsatisfactory that a litigant would go on to attack the jury." In today's hearing Mr Justice Brian O'Moore was also critical of McGregor's conduct and attempt to reintroduce new evidence in the case in the form of couple Samantha O'Reilly and Stephen Cummins - who claimed to have witnessed Ms Hand possibly being assaulted by her ex partner - only to sensationally withdraw the sworn affidavits on the opening of the appeal. The judges have referred the issue to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to decide whether any perjury was committed. 'The conduct of Mr. McGregor, in publicly introducing evidence which fundamentally called into question the correctness of the jury's verdict and the testimony of Ms. Hand which had led to it, only to abandon that evidence when it was about to be tested is behaviour which deserves to be marked by a palpable sign of the court's displeasure and disapproval,' Judge O'Moore added.
Newsweek
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Released WWE Star Retires From Wrestling
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Former WWE Superstar Sonya Deville has provided an update on her career, stating that she is retired from professional wrestling "for now." The recently released star explained that her primary focus at the moment is on acting, but she is also leaving the door open for a potential return to the world of combat sports. Deville, who was released from her WWE contract earlier this year, discussed her future in a new interview on Insight with Chris Van Vliet. She was candid about her current mindset and her deep loyalty to WWE. "Definitely For Now" When asked if she had retired from wrestling, Deville confirmed she is at peace with stepping away from the ring. She admitted that her long tenure with WWE makes it difficult to imagine wrestling for another promotion. "Definitely for now. Never say never. But right now I feel at peace with that," Deville said. "It was my only home from 21 years old to 31. I'm a ride or die type of person in general. So it's weird to even think about doing that, but not there." From MMA To WWE Sonya Deville's journey to WWE began with her background in mixed martial arts. She competed in MMA before joining the 2015 season of WWE's reality competition show, Tough Enough. Her legitimate fighting skills and intensity earned her a contract, and she went on to become one of the first openly gay female superstars in WWE history. HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 11: A general stadium view during WWE Monday Night RAW at Toyota Center on March 11, 2024 in Houston, Texas. HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 11: A general stadium view during WWE Monday Night RAW at Toyota Center on March 11, 2024 in Houston, Texas. During her WWE run, she evolved from an enforcer in the Absolution faction to a sharp-tongued authority figure. Her most acclaimed storyline was a deeply personal feud with her former best friend, Mandy Rose. Her career reached a high point in 2023 when she and Chelsea Green captured the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship, her first title in the company. Unfortunately, that reign was cut short when Deville suffered a torn ACL, an injury that kept her sidelined until her eventual release. More news: WWE Superstar Announces Retirement Match Acting and MMA Aspirations Deville made it clear that her passion has now shifted back to her first love, acting. However, she also revealed that a return to the MMA world is still a very real possibility. "My first dream was to be an actress... I will say acting feels more true to what I want in this very moment," she explained. "I do think Bare Knuckle is badass. So yeah, I can't say never." She noted that she has a great relationship with the all-female MMA promotion Invicta FC and that she is already training again. "I will say that, yeah, I am training," she confirmed. While her wrestling career is on hold, her journey as a combat athlete and performer is far from over. More WWE News: For more on WWE, head to Newsweek Sports.
Irish Daily Mirror
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
Conor McGregor made last-gasp demand after it became clear his work had dried up
Conor McGregor was left fuming after learning that Michael Chandler had arranged a fight against Charles Oliveira. The Notorious has been out of action since he broke his leg during his trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 nearly four years ago. He was scheduled to return to the Octagon against Chandler - who he coached against in the 31st season of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) - last June, but had to withdraw due to a broken toe. Considering Chandler hadn't fought in two years, waiting for his moment in the spotlight with McGregor, the all-American quickly agreed to fight Brazilian sensation Oliveira slated for the November, aiming to rise to the top of the lightweight division. However, McGregor was not pleased with the development and took to social media to demand that the UFC arrange a fight for him to revive his own career. Upon hearing about the face-off between Chandler and Oliveira, McGregor posted on X: "Chandler saw that takedown getting stuffed and mauled and officially dipped. Little Fat P***y. "I'm at the hard rock hotel Florida for the Bare Knuckle [Fighting Championship] tonight. Got tested earlier today by DFSI [Drug Free Sport International]. Give me my f***ing date!" reports Dublin Live. The UFC is yet to confirm McGregor's next opponent or return date, despite two fights remaining on his contract. Elsewhere, McGregor has remained in the public eye, even without competing for four years. In 2022, he landed a starring role as the villainous Knox in a remake of the 1989 film Road House, alongside Jake Gyllenhaal. Additionally, McGregor invested in the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) in April 2024, subsequently attending several events since. He has also shown interest in politics, with rumours suggesting he may run in Ireland's presidential election later this year. However, a comeback with Chandler isn't completely out of question, with 'Iron' Mike telling the Mirror in November: "I still believe Conor comes back at some point, and when he does, that road goes through Nashville, Tennessee, and Michael Chandler. "We have to finish TUF 31, we have to get a fight poster that actually comes to fruition for a fight, we have to get a contract that actually comes to fruition for a fight but either way if the fight with Conor never happens, I am completely content - I wish him well. But I have a sneaky suspicion Conor does not want to sail off into the sunset the way he has right now. "He wants to come back and needs to come back for Conor McGregor's legacy." After suffering a unanimous decision defeat to Oliveira at Madison Square Garden in November 2024, Chandler faced further disappointment with a third-round TKO loss against Paddy Pimblett last month. With McGregor also on a two-fight losing streak, a match-up between him and Chandler could certainly reignite interest in McGregor's career among the masses.
USA Today
16-02-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Video: Conor McGregor promises BKFC fight will come, names potential opponents
BKFC part-owner Conor McGregor once again told the world he'll fight without gloves. Despite still being under contract with the UFC and not being active since July 2021, McGregor repeated at a BKFC Italy news conference Sunday that he plans to fight in the promotion. This time, he named potential names. McGregor was fired up from the start of the press conference as he served as a mediator/hype man for the athletes on stage, promoting the April 26 event at Palazzo Wanny in Florence. 'Yes. Yes. The warrior spirit burns strong inside me,' McGregor said. 'For sure. If you think I'm up here giving these speeches and leading these men into battle and I won't step in there myself, think again. For sure. Conor McGregor will fight in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship – mark my words.' When asked whom he'd like to face, McGregor took a long, dramatic pause as he pondered over a response. The first thing that came to mind was not a specific person, but rather someone who would lead him to title gold. 'I'd like a world title in this company,' McGregor said. 'I would wish to be the Bare Knuckle world champion. That is a significant belt to hold in your career. Nobody from boxing to mixed martial arts can speak nothing bad on a Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship world champion. So for sure, I'd be coming in looking for the world title. 'There are many bouts, showcase bouts you could say. Michael Perry, Mike Perry. You could say Jeremy Stephens. You could say a rematch against Eddie Alvarez. You could say many matches. But the lightweight title, who is the champion right now, lightweight or welterweight? Let's see. I'm open. We'll see when it comes.' Conor McGregor says he WILL fight for BKFC: 'Mark my words.' The former UFC champ mentions Eddie Alvarez, Jeremy Stephens and Mike Perry as opponents – but he wants a BKFC belt. 🎥 @bareknucklefc — MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) February 16, 2025 McGregor, 36, has not competed since he broke his leg vs. Dustin Poirier. He was booked to fight Michael Chandler for a May showdown but withdrew due to a broken toe. His immediate next move with the UFC has remained unclear since his withdrawal. McGregor has faced legal issues, being found civilly liable for sexual assault in Dublin in November. A lawsuit with similar accusations regarding a separate alleged incident at a 2023 NBA Finals game was filed in January in Florida.
