Prosecutors won't charge ex-UFC champ Conor McGregor with sexual assault after NBA Finals incident
Conor McGregor prepares to fight Dustin Poirier in a UFC 264 lightweight mixed martial arts bout July 10, 2021, in Las Vegas. Former UFC champion Conor McGregor will not face sexual assault charges following investigation of allegations that surfaced during the NBA Finals last June in Miami, his lawyer said Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. Credit: AP/John Locher
MIAMI — Former UFC champion Conor McGregor will not face sexual assault charges following an investigation of allegations that surfaced during the NBA Finals last June in Miami, his lawyer, police and prosecutors said Wednesday.
The probe examined claims by a woman that McGregor assaulted her in an arena bathroom after Game 4 of the NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and the Denver Nuggets.
“After a thorough investigation, including a review of videos and interviews with eyewitnesses, the authorities have concluded that there is no case to pursue against my client, Conor McGregor," attorney Barbara Llanes said in an email.
"As anticipated, this decision by the authorities confirms Mr. McGregor’s account of the evening. On behalf of my client, his family and his fans we are pleased this is now over.”
The decision was also confirmed by the State Attorney's Office, which said the charges were dropped. It was not immediately clear if the case's closeout memo had been completed.
The woman had accused McGregor of forcing her into a bathroom at the Kaseya Center in Miami and that security did nothing to help.
McGregor was at the Heat game as a promotional gimmick for a pain-relief spray, which turned into an in-game skit with the Heat mascot, Burnie, that went wrong. The mascot was wearing oversized boxing gloves and a robe akin to what a fighter would wear entering the ring for a bout. McGregor hit Burnie with a left hook, knocking him down, then punched the mascot again after he hit the floor.
McGregor then tried to “spray” the mascot with the pain-relief product, while several members of the Heat’s in-game promotional team dragged Burnie off the court. The employee inside the outfit needed to seek medical attention and use pain medication for a few days afterward.
McGregor has not fought in the UFC since suffering a broken leg in a July 2021 fight. He is supposed to return in 2024.
The development was first reported by TMZ.
