Conor McGregor Discusses Civil Rape Verdict and Alcohol Struggles Before UFC 329 Fight
Conor McGregor faced the media in Las Vegas on Wednesday for the UFC 329 media day, making his first fight-week appearance ahead of his return against former featherweight champion and BMF champion Max Holloway in a welterweight bout. During the press conference, a former double-weight champion was immediately confronted with the civil court verdict that found him civilly liable for the sexual assault of Nikita Hand.
McGregor has not competed in the Octagon since breaking his leg against Dustin Poirier in July 2021, and this upcoming bout on July 11 against Holloway marks his first professional fight in five years.
Watch the full press conference here (via UFC on YouTube):
McGregor Maintains His Innocence
When asked about the verdict and whether he understood why some people might object to his return, McGregor remained defiant.
"I'm an innocent man, and I'll stand for my innocence until the day I go out," McGregor told reporters. "There's a reason why it didn't go where it went and went to a civil trial."
McGregor also invoked his religious faith as he addressed the controversy, maintaining that his encounter with Hand was consensual, despite the civil jury's finding against him.
"I know the truth, and I know that lying lips are an abomination to the Lord," he said, adding, "I know that anything in the darkness will soon come to light, and I trust in God that it's coming."
Despite his claims, McGregor's public reputation has been tarnished due to the civil case. His appearance on The Tonight Show with host Jimmy Fallon sparked significant backlash, with people on social media condemning Fallon and McGregor.
McGregor's legal avenues have been exhausted after he lost two appeals related to the verdict in 2025, with the case reaching as high as the Irish Supreme Court. The Court of Appeal rejected all five grounds of his appeal in July 2025, and the Supreme Court later turned down his application for a further appeal.
Conor McGregor Addresses Drinking Habits
In a candid moment during the press conference, McGregor opened up about his struggles with alcohol, directly blaming his own Irish whiskey brand for his drinking problems. He described a specific turning point after he launched Proper No. Twelve whiskey following his lucrative 2017 boxing match with Floyd Mayweather.
"I didn't drink heavily, if at all, in that time of my life. I was an athlete at the top of my game," McGregor recalled.
He explained how the brand's success led to his downfall, saying, "Next thing you know, there's thousands upon thousands of bottles in my garage. 'Sell this, Conor.' OK, I leave my property with two bottles under my arm, and that was it."
McGregor characterized this period as a trap set by his own fame and fortune, viewing it through a spiritual lens.
"God gave me these lessons. That's it. I was trapped and caught," he stated.
He ultimately framed his current position as a battle for the truth, declaring, "If the world is against the truth, then I am against the world. That is where I stand."
The fallout from the civil verdict has continued to impact McGregor's business interests. In a report by Front Office Sports, Proximo Spirits, which bought the whiskey brand from McGregor in 2021, confirmed it will stop using his name and likeness in its marketing campaigns.
The UFC 329 main event is set to take place on Saturday at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. McGregor, who has gone 1-3 in his last four fights, enters the bout as a heavy betting underdog against Holloway. The fight is a rematch of their 2013 encounter, which McGregor won by decision.
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This story was originally published July 8, 2026 at 10:06 PM.