Hours after Conor McGregor announced his retirement from combined martial arts, the New York Times has stated that he’s beneath investigation over allegations of sexual assault.
According to the Times, the previous UFC champion was arrested in January after a girl said he sexually assaulted her in Dublin in December. McGregor has no longer been charged over the allegations, but resources told the Times he’s nevertheless below research via Irish police. The alleged attack is stated to have taken place on the Beacon Hotel, in which McGregor is believed to now and then stay on visits to Ireland. The resort is a 25-minute pressure from Crumlin, wherein McGregor grew up.
On Tuesday, Karen Kessler, a spokesperson for McGregor’s felony team, spoke to ESPN. “This tale has been circulating for a while, and it’s miles uncertain why it is being reported now,” Kessler said. “The assumption that the Conor retirement declaration nowadays is related to this scandal is surely fake. Should Conor combat in the destiny, it have to be in an environment where warring parties are reputable for his or her value, their ability, their hard work, and their dedication to the sport.”
On Tuesday morning, McGregor, the previous UFC featherweight and lightweight champion, announced on Twitter that he had ended his presenting career. “Hey men, brief announcement, I’ve decided to retire from the game officially called ‘Mixed Martial Art’ nowadays. I wish all my old colleagues nicely going ahead in the competition. I will now be part of my former companions on this mission, already in retirement. Proper Pina Coladas on me fellas!”
McGregor had regarded on Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show on Monday before saying his retirement. However, he gave no indication that he became thinking about quitting combating or changed into under any outside pressures.
“I am set for life; my circle of relatives is set for lifestyles,” he stated. “I’ve executed a lot; I’ve fought a lot. I’ve in no way pulled out of contests. I’ve gone through some loopy accidents, some loopy outside conditions that many people could sprint for the hills if it occurred to them. But I stood firm [and] done my piece for the company. As I said, this whiskey [one of McGregor’s business interests] is my baby. I even have quite a few super entities. I don’t always need to fight.”
The Irishman, together with Ronda Rousey, became UFC’s biggest big name for years. But, before the New York Times record emerged, the UFC president Dana White paid tribute to McGregor’s profession in blended martial arts. “He has been so amusing to look at,” White informed ESPN. “He has performed extraordinary things in this recreation. I am so glad for him and sit up for seeing him be as a success outdoor of the octagon as he turned into in it.”
McGregor has not fought since October’s final 12 months while losing to light-weight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229. McGregor was suspended for six months after that fight ended, with brawls spreading into the group.
McGregor has additionally made headlines away from UFC. In 2017, he made tens of thousands and thousands of greenbacks after his boxing debut towards the undefeated Floyd Mayweather in Las Vegas. While many dismissed the bout as an exposure stunt, it extended the profile of McGregor, who was already one of the famous maximum fighters within the international.
This month, he was arrested in Florida on suspicion of stealing the cellphone of someone who was looking to take his photograph. Before closing yr’s Nurmagomedov combat, he averted prison over his involvement in a melee after a news conference for the UFC 223 occasion at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center.