Conor McGregor, once the most prominent figure in mixed martial arts, is navigating a period of significant public scrutiny as his career hangs in the balance amidst a series of controversies and a prolonged fight absence. The fighter has not competed since sustaining a broken leg in a 2021 defeat to Dustin Poirier.
McGregor's public profile has been overshadowed by multiple legal issues. In November 2024, a civil case concluded with Nikita Hand winning a claim for damages against him for assault by rape. A jury determined that McGregor had sexually assaulted Hand in a Dublin hotel in December 2018, resulting in an order for him to pay £206,000 in damages.
McGregor pursued a civil jury appeal, which he lost in July 2025. The following month, Hand announced her intention to sue McGregor and two other individuals for damages, alleging malicious abuse of court processes. Despite the legal outcomes, McGregor maintains his innocence, stating, "I'm an innocent man and I'll stand for my innocence until the day I go out." Hand has publicly stated that the trial has retraumatized her "over and over again."
These legal battles have fueled questions about McGregor's continued place in the spotlight and the sport's landscape. His absence from active competition, coupled with these controversies, has led many to question the future of his career and his role in the sport he helped popularize.