Dana White will offer Conor McGregor a UFC lifeline in the future, despite the fighter losing his civil sexual assault case in Ireland this week.
The Irishman was told on Friday that he must pay the woman who accused him of raping her in a hotel six years ago €250,000 ($260,000).
McGregor, 36, faced an accusation that he ‘brutally raped and battered’ Nikita Hand, 35, at a hotel in south Dublin in December 2018.
The MMA fighter previously told the court he had consensual sex with Ms Hand, also known as Nikita Ni Laimhin, at the Beacon Hotel. He denied causing bruising to the plaintiff.
After deliberating for six hours and 10 minutes, the jury returned with their verdicts in the trial and awarded Ms Hand nearly €250,000 ($260,000).
McGregor shook his head while Ms Hand cried and was hugged by her partner and supporters as the verdict was delivered. Outside the court, she described the last two weeks as a ‘nightmare’ but said she felt vindicated.
McGregor has not fought in the UFC since July 2021, when he was beaten by Dustin Poirier in Las Vegas.
However, despite the outcome in court this week, White and UFC officials are still considering bringing McGregor back into the fold in the future.
A source told DailyMail.com: ‘Conor’s UFC career is currently on ice but not completely dead in the water.
‘He still is a draw and Dana White and UFC would still consider him to be a part of a future show, but with the stigma of the charge they are going to steer clear from him.
‘UFC is owned by the same people as the WWE, and if Vince McMahon is being shunned by the company, the same thing goes for Conor and the UFC.
‘But it isn’t over for Conor by any means, because he could win his appeal and as we all know the UFC and Dana White has Donald Trump at their shows and are friendly with him.
‘The president-elect is a convicted felon and has been accused of rape and sexual assault in the past himself, but that doesn’t thwart them inviting him to their shows and Dana White remaining friendly with him.
‘So Conor is in some hot water, but he will be able to come back eventually once the dust clears. It will just be a little longer away than originally expected.’
McGregor has been vocal over his wish to get back into the sport and voiced his frustrations over his delayed return to the Octagon earlier this year.
Speaking to DAZN at Wembley Stadium for Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois, the Irishman said: ‘We will see. My opponent that I had scheduled… it is what it is. I take it on board and rock on.
‘My job is to go to the gym and be in shape, whenever it is and wherever it is. I will be 100 per cent ready.
‘I must get two fights in 2025. It’s the promised land. Who knows (who the next opponent will be). It does not matter. Whoever, let’s see. I’d like it to be Chandler. I wish him well and see where it goes.’
UFC CEO White offered more insight into when the Irishman may return following UFC 309 last weekend.
Speaking in the UFC 309 post-fight press conference White said: ‘Conor is going to come back late ’25’.
‘There is no doubt Conor wants to fight. He hits me up all the time. I told you guys he probably wasn’t going to fight in 2024 and he didn’t.
‘He’s going to fight in 2025, probably at the end of the year, if it is earlier that is good for all of us.’
McGregor has vowed to appeal the decision in court – saying he was ‘disappointed’ and ‘focused on my future’ on social media.
Breaking his silence in a now-deleted post, McGregor said: ‘I will be appealing yesterday’s decision. The judge’s instruction and the modest award given was for assault, not for aggravated or exemplary damages.
‘I am disappointed that the jury did not hear all the evidence that the DPP reviewed. I am with my family now, focused on my future. Thank you to all my support worldwide.’
On Saturday, he posted: ‘Justice was served for James Lawrence, yes! Deplorable what they done. Nikita hand, vicious liar! APPEAL!’
Prosecutors have since said they did not bring criminal charges against McGregor because his accuser had consumed too much alcohol and too many drugs.
Ms Hand alleged that McGregor sexually assaulted her on December 9, 2018, and that another man, James Lawrence, did the same, Ireland’s high court heard over two weeks of evidence.
Ms Hand said that she and a friend made contact with McGregor, who she knew, after a work Christmas party.
She said they were driven by McGregor to a party in a penthouse room of a south Dublin hotel where drugs and alcohol were consumed.
She said McGregor took her a bedroom in the penthouse and sexually assaulted her.
Ms Hand’s lawyer, John Gordon, said she was on antidepressants, and ‘full of drugs’ at the time of the alleged assault.
DailyMail.com has contacted both UFC and McGregor for comment.
