Latest news with #ForgedIrishStout
Irish Daily Mirror
27-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Daily Mirror
Conor McGregor opens 'serious talks' with company over €7billion takeover
Notorious UFC star Conor McGregor has hinted he's in 'serious' negotiations to purchase OnlyFans. The Dublin-born fighter, who last graced the Octagon in 2021 with a defeat to Dustin Poirier, has built a fortune from his fighting days and is no stranger to savvy investments when the gloves come off. McGregor's latest venture appears to be eyeing the subscription-based platform OnlyFans, known for its adult content and favoured by sex workers and social media influencers, as suggested by a post on his social media. Reuters report that OnlyFans' parent company, Fenix International Ltd, is engaged in discussions with an investor group about selling the adult content-driven business, which currently boasts a valuation of around €7 billion. OnlyFans saw a meteoric rise in use during the pandemic, with revenues skyrocketing from €330 million in 2020 to a staggering €5.8b in 2023, reports Dublin Live. Since Leonid Radvinsky, a Ukrainian-American businessman, bought OnlyFans in 2018, the company has seen lucrative payouts, with filings indicating the sole shareholder pocketed upwards of €800m in dividends in the past three years. Now, it seems the stage is set for a potential sale of the company. An Instagram news piece on the possible deal caught McGregor's attention, leading the 36-year-old MMA superstar to re-share the post and add his own teaser: "I'm in serious talks to buy this." While there's been no formal confirmation of McGregor's involvement, it's understood that discussions with the investor group have been in the works since March. A source reportedly told the New York Post that Radvinsky, the sole shareholder of OnlyFans, is finding it tough to offload the platform due to its risqué "X-rated business model." The insider dished out the dilemma, saying: "You're looking to find billionaires and trying to sell it as not an adult content company but just a platform like X that allows adult content. But I think most people right now view OnlyFans as an adult content company." McGregor's net worth, according to Forbes, sits around €38m, although some report the figure is closer to €175m. He has earned close to €100m for his fights in the UFC octagon and raked in a similar sum from his sensation-stirring boxing match against Floyd Mayweather Jr. In 2018, McGregor introduced Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey to the world, and three years later, he and two associates cashed out their interests in the liquor line for an eye-watering €525m. Not resting on his laurels, the 36-year-old has since launched Forged Irish Stout to much acclaim. He didn't just stop at beverages; in 2019, he splashed out €2m for The Black Forge Inn pub in Dublin and is rumoured to have snapped up several other spots in the Irish capital. McGregor is also involved with sports recovery brand TIDL Sport and has been busy pushing the limits of personal fitness with the development and investment in the training app McGregor FAST.
Dublin Live
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Dublin Live
Conor McGregor fears grow as 'sad' prediction made weeks after worrying footage emerged
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Joe Rogan admitted Conor McGregor's incessant partying makes a UFC return improbable - just weeks after the MMA icon was seen enjoying a night out in Dublin. The 36-year-old has been absent from fighting for almost four years, with his last appearance in a cage occurring in 2021 when he fractured his tibia and fibula in a TKO loss to rival Dustin Poirier. Injuries and legal battles haven't helped McGregor's cause in pulling the trigger on a fighting return, with a UFC 303 clash against Michael Chandler having to be shelved last year due to the Irishman's injured toe. However, according to MMA commentator Rogan, it's McGregor's penchant for partying that is the biggest stumbling block in making his long-awaited return to the sport. Speaking on The Joe Rogan Experience with former UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria, the comedian said: "Also partying, constant partying. "All these legal problems that he has, scooting around on yachts, and driving around in a Lamborghini. He's wealthy, what's really sad is if he comes back when he's like 39 or 40 and his body just doesn't have it anymore." (Image: Zuffa LLC) Rogan's worry for the Irishman's partying lifestyle has come just weeks after the former two-division UFC champion was spotted on a night out with YouTube group, the NELK Boys. Hosting a St. Patrick's Day weekend bash at his Black Forge Inn in Dublin, McGregor looked to be on a tear as he downed a pint of his Forged Irish Stout after breaking out in song, with Robbie Williams' Angels his choice. The evening included McGregor allowing one of the group to hold one of his UFC belts, and he even shared a hug as the festivities came to an end. The drinks, however, didn't stop flowing as the Black Forge owner offered the content creators a round of tequila rose. (Image: @HappyPunch/X) When asked by Topuria to give a verdict on the likelihood of McGregor fighting again, Rogan admitted he thinks the Irishman has fought his last fight inside a UFC Octagon. "If I had to bet, no," he said. "No, I don't think he comes back, because he hasn't come back yet, and he could have. "If he really wanted to, he would have been back in the gym, had a fight scheduled, drug tested, clean, training, gone through a camp, and had a fight. "He had a broken toe before his fight against Chandler. I understand that. OK, why should you fight with a broken toe?"
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
My night in a Dublin pub with Conor McGregor and Tucker Carlson
It was the most curious social gathering of the year. Pouring pints behind the bar at the Black Forge Inn was Conor McGregor, the Irish mixed martial arts champion with presidential ambitions. Across from him sat Tucker Carlson, the US television personality, Donald Trump whisperer and interviewer of Vladimir Putin. As the night wore on, the crowd included a pick-and-mix of politicians, fans of the US president, underworld figures, suspected plain-clothes police officers and bemused members of the public. The improbable gathering took place at McGregor's pub in Crumlin, a down-at-heel South Dublin suburb once ruled by the Kinahan crime cartel. McGregor had sent out a post on social media inviting people to drop in for 'live music, top tier food, great drink, great people, and a happy and celebratory atmosphere'. At 6pm, the bar was half empty. But those who had gathered were excited. Men in red Make America Great Again hats lined the counter, swilling pints and snapping selfies. Their faces lit up at McGregor's presence. 'God bless Conor McGregor!' bellowed one, raising a glass to the man who'd just declared a free bar. Carlson, the former Fox News anchor who now runs his own show online, had flown to Dublin to interview the UFC fighter about mass immigration. The pair had spent the day striding conspicuously around the capital and its parliament buildings, trailed by a Rolls-Royce and a gaggle of suited associates, before retiring to the pub. Many of those who joined them live in working-class areas where housing and services are stretched thin and have felt the sharpest effects of Ireland's rapid demographic shift. The country's population grew by 3.5 per cent in 2023, faster than any other EU country. Its intake of refugees – mostly from Africa, Asia and Ukraine – has risen by almost 700 per cent over the past decade. Carlson was given something of a hero's welcome as Dubliners gathered around and told him their complaints. McGregor poured him a pint of his own-brand Forged Irish Stout. Carlson, a teetotaller, politely declined, opting instead to take a sniff of the drink. McGregor did not appear to take offence, a far cry from 2019, when he punched a pensioner in a pub for refusing to drink a shot of his own-brand whiskey. Instead, dressed in a flat cap, open necked white shirt, blue waistcoat and suit trousers, he worked the room, lighting a fresh cigar every hour as a folk band played merry tunes. McGregor was invited to the White House to meet with Mr Trump on St Patrick's Day in a move that stunned Irish officials. Micheál Martin, the Taoiseach, had visited the week before and was made to sit awkwardly in the Oval Office as Mr Trump responded to the question: 'Who is your favourite Irish person?' 'Well, I do happen to like your fighter. He's got the best tattoos I've ever seen,' he replied. 'Conor is great, right?' Both leaders failed to mention that last year, McGregor was found civilly liable for rape and was ordered to pay nearly £200,000 to a woman who said she was pinned down, choked and 'brutally raped and battered'. He has lodged an appeal against the judgment. Reminiscing on his trip to the States, McGregor said: 'Boy oh boy, they gave me the full star treatment. 'I think it shows that the US government has a lot of love for the Irish people and the plight that the Irish people are up against.' McGregor was whisked around Washington to meet Maga's movers and shakers before his meeting with Mr Trump. He rattles off names: Pete Hegseth, the defence secretary, Mike Waltz, the national security adviser, RFK Jr, the health secretary, Pam Bondi, the attorney general, and 'Kash Patel – FBI number one'. 'Don Gambino, number two,' he adds, appearing to confuse a dead New York mob boss with Dan Bongino, the deputy head of the FBI. He has another go before giving up on the tongue-twister: 'Bang-bongiano, number two FBI.' McGregor claims the Irish government has imposed mass immigration on communities that are being 'overrun' and resisting as best they can. His message aimed squarely at America's 40-million-strong Irish diaspora, is that time is running out. 'Where they come from and where their family originates from is very soon to be no more,' he says. Many in the pub agree with his message and not just the forgotten underclass. Conor Lenihan, a former Irish minister of state, said he found the resonance of McGregor's message 'intriguing'. He is 'just one of many who would have similar views', he said. 'So he's not out of kilter, he's not unrepresentative: ordinary retailers, ordinary businesspeople are extremely annoyed at what's happening with immigration in this country. 'There is a very serious underlying concern about immigration which cannot be ignored. And there is a danger that the political establishment will ignore that sentiment.' It's a message Carlson appears to share. In a podcast with Donald Trump Jr last year, he said: '[The Irish] are the indigenous population of their island and you're watching them die and replacing them with people from the Third World. On what basis are you doing that, George Soros?' He was later photographed at the Crumlin pub deep in conversation with a local councillor. The caption above the image claimed they were 'talking about the replacement and genocide of the Irish people'. With anti-immigration politicians gaining little at the ballot box last year, many Irish voters now look beyond their own borders. For some, hope lies in America – or more precisely, in Irish America. Carlson's presence seemed to signal that the world, or at least the Maga orbit, was finally listening. If these Dubliners registered their grievances with Carlson as if he were a visiting official, then McGregor is their Maga-appointed comprador. 'He doesn't need to be elected,' one man at the bar said. 'He's ordained. He's got Trump's blessing.' McGregor agrees. He claims Trump has explicitly endorsed him to be Ireland's next president. But his chances remain slim. Candidates must garner the support of 20 Oireachtas (parliament) members, or the backing of four of Ireland's local authorities in order to stand. A recent Irish Times survey of the country's 949 local councillors found that not one of the 187 who responded said they would nominate him for the role. Stiofán Conaty, a Sinn Féin councillor from Cavan county council, told the Irish Times: 'No such pressure would ever influence me to even consider voting for that horrid man.' But the establishment remains uneasy. Not about his chances, but about his proximity to American power, on which Ireland's economic fortunes still depend. Uneasy about the fact that, while polarising, the grievances he voices are becoming more mainstream. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
16-04-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
My night in a Dublin pub with Conor McGregor and Tucker Carlson
It was the most curious social gathering of the year. Pouring pints behind the bar at the Black Forge Inn was Conor McGregor, the Irish mixed martial arts champion with presidential ambitions. Across from him sat Tucker Carlson, the US television personality, Donald Trump whisperer and interviewer of Vladimir Putin. As the night wore on, the crowd included a pick-and-mix of politicians, fans of the US president, underworld figures, suspected plain-clothes police officers and bemused members of the public. The improbable gathering took place at McGregor's pub in Crumlin, a down-at-heel South Dublin suburb once ruled by the Kinahan crime cartel. McGregor had sent out a post on social media inviting people to drop in for 'live music, top tier food, great drink, great people, and a happy and celebratory atmosphere'. At 6pm, the bar was half empty. But those who had gathered were excited. Men in red Make America Great Again hats lined the counter, swilling pints and snapping selfies. Their faces lit up at McGregor's presence. 'God bless Conor McGregor!' bellowed one, raising a glass to the man who'd just declared a free bar. Carlson, the former Fox News anchor who now runs his own show online, had flown to Dublin to interview the UFC fighter about mass immigration. The pair had spent the day striding conspicuously around the capital and its parliament buildings, trailed by a Rolls-Royce and a gaggle of suited associates, before retiring to the pub. Many of those who joined them live in working-class areas where housing and services are stretched thin and have felt the sharpest effects of Ireland's rapid demographic shift. The country's population grew by 3.5 per cent in 2023, faster than any other EU country. Its intake of refugees – mostly from Africa, Asia and Ukraine – has surged by nearly 700 per cent over the past decade. Carlson was given something of a hero's welcome as Dubliners gathered around and told him their complaints. McGregor poured him a pint of his own-brand Forged Irish Stout. Carlson, a teetotaller, politely declined, opting instead to take a sniff of the drink. McGregor did not appear to take offence, a far cry from 2019, when he punched a pensioner in a pub for refusing to drink a shot of his own-brand whiskey. Instead, dressed in a flat cap, open necked white shirt, blue waistcoat and suit trousers, he worked the room, lighting a fresh cigar every hour as a folk band played merry tunes. McGregor was invited to the White House to meet with Mr Trump on St Patrick's Day in a move that stunned Irish Martin, the Taoiseach, had visited the week before and was made to sit awkwardly in the Oval Office as Mr Trump responded to the question: 'Who is your favourite Irish person?' 'Well, I do happen to like your fighter. He's got the best tattoos I've ever seen,' he replied. 'Conor is great, right?' Both leaders failed to mention that last year, McGregor was found civilly liable for rape and was ordered to pay nearly £200,000 to a woman who said she was pinned down, choked and 'brutally raped and battered'. He has lodged an appeal against the judgment. Reminiscing on his trip to the States, McGregor said: 'Boy oh boy, they gave me the full star treatment. 'I think it shows that the US government has a lot of love for the Irish people and the plight that the Irish people are up against.' McGregor was whisked around Washington to meet Maga's movers and shakers before his meeting with Mr Trump. He rattles off names: Pete Hegseth, the defence secretary, Mike Waltz, the national security adviser, RFK Jr, the health secretary, Pam Bondi, the attorney general, and 'Kash Patel – FBI number one'. 'Don Gambino, number two,' he adds, appearing to confuse a dead New York mob boss with Dan Bongino, the deputy head of the FBI. He has another go before giving up on the tongue-twister: 'Bang-bongiano, number two FBI.' McGregor claims the Irish government has imposed mass immigration on communities that are being 'overrun' and resisting as best they can. His message aimed squarely at America's 40-million-strong Irish diaspora, is that time is running out. 'Where they come from and where their family originates from is very soon to be no more,' he says. Many in the pub agree with his message and not just the forgotten underclass. Conor Lenihan, a former Irish minister of state, said he found the resonance of McGregor's message 'intriguing'. He is 'just one of many who would have similar views', he said. 'So he's not out of kilter, he's not unrepresentative: ordinary retailers, ordinary businesspeople are extremely annoyed at what's happening with immigration in this country. 'There is a very serious underlying concern about immigration which cannot be ignored. And there is a danger that the political establishment will ignore that sentiment.' It's a message Carlson appears to share. In a podcast with Donald Trump Jr last year, he said: '[The Irish] are the indigenous population of their island and you're watching them die and replacing them with people from the Third World. On what basis are you doing that, George Soros?' He was later photographed at the Crumlin pub deep in conversation with a local councillor. The caption above the image claimed they were 'talking about the replacement and genocide of the Irish people'. With anti-immigration politicians gaining little at the ballot box last year, many Irish voters now look beyond their own borders. For some, hope lies in America – or more precisely, in Irish America. Carlson's presence seemed to signal that the world, or at least the Maga orbit, was finally listening. If these Dubliners registered their grievances with Carlson as if he were a visiting official, then McGregor is their Maga-appointed comprador. 'He doesn't need to be elected,' one man at the bar said. 'He's ordained. He's got Trump's blessing.' McGregor agrees. He claims Trump has explicitly endorsed him to be Ireland's next president. But his chances remain slim. Candidates must garner the support of 20 Oireachtas (parliament) members, or the backing of four of Ireland's local authorities in order to stand. A recent Irish Times survey of the country's 949 local councillors found that not one of the 187 who responded said they would nominate him for the role. Stiofán Conaty, a Sinn Féin councillor from Cavan county council, told the Irish Times: 'No such pressure would ever influence me to even consider voting for that horrid man.' But the establishment remains uneasy. Not about his chances, but about his proximity to American power, on which Ireland's economic fortunes still depend. Uneasy about the fact that, while polarising, the grievances he voices are becoming more mainstream.
