Credit: Google
The case involving former UFC champion Conor McGregor facing charges of sexually assaulting a woman has led to Ireland’s Court of Appeal dismissing his appeal. This decision marks a significant legal setback for McGregor, whose legacy reportedly continues to be overshadowed by off-cage controversies. In November 2024, McGregor was ordered to pay £206,000 in damages plus costs to Nikita Hand, who accused him of raping her in a hotel in Dublin in 2018. The trial concluded after a two-week hearing at Dublin’s High Court, saw a jury of eight women and four men deliberate for over six hours before ruling in Hand’s favor.
According to the reports, three senior judges heard Conor McGregor’s appeal on July 31, 2025. The civil jury appeal has rejected Conor McGregor’s appeal in full upholding the original verdict. McGregor’s appeal, launched in February 2025, rested on five grounds, including claims of procedural errors in the original trial. McGregor was not present in the court at the time of the hearing.
In a post on social media platform X, McGregor reacted after the news of the judgement came. “I rejoice in his name and await his judgement with glee,” he said. His legal team argued that the jury’s “issue paper” question whether McGregor “assaulted” Nikita Hand rather than “sexually assaulted” her was misleading.
This appeal has retraumatised me over and over again: Nikita Hand
Outside the court, an emotional Nikita Hand addressed supporters, expressing gratitude for their support and describing the appeal process as “retraumatising.” “This appeal has retraumatised me over and over again, being forced to relive it,” she said. “To every survivor out there, I know how hard it is, but please, don’t be silenced. You deserve to be heard, you also deserve justice. Today, I can finally move on and try to heal,” she added.
37-year-old Conor McGregor, maintained throughout the trial that the encounter between him and Nikita Hand was consensual, denying any use of force or violence. Reportedly, he suggested Hand’s injuries could have resulted from her “swan diving” into a bath in the hotel room. His co-defendant, James Lawrence, was also accused by Hand of assault, but was cleared by the jury, which found that he had not assaulted her. The ruling adds to McGregor’s legal woes, including a new civil lawsuit filed in January 2025 in Florida, alleging sexual battery during a 2023 NBA Finals game.
