Conor McGregor rival offers UFC star lifeline after assault court case

Conor McGregor has been called retired by UFC rival Michael Chandler, conscionable implicit a week aft losing his civilian case, arsenic the combatant looks to get their bout backmost connected the cards

Michael Chandler has told Conor McGregor he's invited to statesman grooming for a combat betwixt the brace aft losing his civilian case.

Last Friday McGregor was recovered liable for the battle of Nikita Hand successful a edifice successful 2018 and helium was forced wage damages of much than £200,000. Hand alleged that McGregor "brutally raped and battered" her, with the tribunal told she suffered extended injuries.

McGregor denied each the allegations against him and has signalled his tendency to appeal, but is dealing with the fallout of the case. The 36-year-old has since been dropped from the Hitman 3 video crippled by producers IO Interactive portion Proximo Spirits, who ain Proper Twelve whiskey, person distanced themselves from McGregor.

UFC person yet to contented immoderate benignant of remark relating to the verdict involving McGregor, who is simply a erstwhile two-weight champion, but hasn't fought since losing to Dustin Porier backmost successful July 2021.

McGregor was lined up to combat Chandler backmost successful June earlier the bout was postponed, but the 38-year-old has told the Irishman to present crook his attraction to getting that combat backmost connected the cards.

Speaking connected The Ariel Helwani Show, helium said: "It's a horrible presumption for each around, for everyone involved... The champion happening helium tin do, astir likely, is to get backmost moving towards a communal goal. Why not combat me? Why not beryllium grooming to combat me?"

Chandler and McGregor butted heads arsenic coaches of the latest bid of The Ultimate Fighter 31, earlier it was confirmed they would conscionable successful the Octagon successful astatine UFC 303, but aft McGregor suffered a breached toed successful sparring the contention was called off.

Whilst the UFC person remained soundless since the lawsuit against McGregor Dana White did authorities that helium expected the Irishman to instrumentality his instrumentality to the Octagon adjacent year. "Let maine archer you this, I was the 1 this twelvemonth saying I don't deliberation he's going to combat this year, amid each the speech and everything else," helium said. " Conor McGregor volition combat adjacent year, aboriginal 2025."

The Irishman has earned immense sums since becoming a UFC champion, though his marque has taken a monolithic deed implicit the past week. White though hoped that McGregor hadn't mislaid his appetite to return.

He said: "He's had truthful overmuch clip off, arsenic acold arsenic the hunger, he's a precise affluent guy. We'll find out. We'll find retired erstwhile helium comes back, but helium is decidedly 1 of the large superstars of the athletics that elevated the UFC each passim Europe and different parts of the world. He's been a large prima and a large spouse for us."