CONOR MCGREGOR has been offered a potential lifeline for his UFC career in the wake of his civil court case.
The MMA superstar’s fighting future is up in the air after he was last month found liable to have assaulted a woman – Nikita Hand – at a Dublin hotel in December 2018.
McGregor, 36, was accused of “raping and battering” Ms Hand – an accusation he’s vehemently denied.
The civil verdict has cast serious doubt over him returning to the UFC octagon, although rival Michael Chandler is still willing to welcome the Irishman back to the cage.
During an appearance on The MMA Hour, he said: “It’s a horrible position for all around, for everyone involved.
“The best thing he can do, most likely, is to get back moving towards a common goal.
“Why not fight me? Why not be training to fight me?”
Prior to last month’s verdict, UFC supremo Dana White revealed that the promotion had already pushed back their poster boy’s return – which was due to take place in June – until the end of 2025.
He said in the UFC 309 post-fight press conference: “Conor is going to come back late ’25.
‘There’s a lot of time before we can figure out who’s gonna fight Conor.”
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FORMER UFC champion Conor McGregor was found to have assaulted a woman who accused him of raping her in a Dublin hotel, a civil court jury found on Friday.
The 36-year-old was accused of “brutally raping and battering” Nikita Hand in December 2018.
He will now have to pay Ms Hand 248,603.60 euros in damages.
Despite losing his case, McGregor has vowed to appeal.
The Irishman’s future in MMA and UFC is now in doubt. He hasn’t been in the octagon since July 2021 when he broke his leg and was stopped against Dustin Poirier.
Here’s what SunSport’s chief MMA reporter Chisanga Malata had to say about the situation…
“The ruling, which came in a civil court, not a criminal court, has given the UFC arguably its biggest-ever headache in its 31-year run. MMA chiefs will now have to make a major decision over their poster boy.
“Personally, I think he fights again. There is a precedent for it. Just look at the man who fought Jake Paul last week.
“Of course, I’m talking about former undisputed heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, who was sent to jail in the 1990s for rape. He came out and he had a successful career after that, making millions upon millions of pounds before retiring in 2005.
“Sadly, there is a precedent for it. But the UFC now has a massive decision to make. As I said, I think he fights again. I think they stick to the plan that was announced last week at the UFC 309 post-fight press conference and they have him fight late 2025.
“Perhaps they said late 2025 in anticipation of this ruling not going McGregor’s way and giving some time for this to blow over – even though something of this magnitude can never, ever blow over.
“I believe McGregor will fight again barring a sensational decision from Dana White and all the investors and they axe their poster boy. But I just don’t see that happening and I do see him returning to the octagon late next year.
“Questions will have to be asked of the UFC and rightly so. But more so of the man himself, Mr McGregor.”
The 55-year-old added: “There is no doubt Conor wants to fight. He hits me up all the time.
“I told you guys he probably wasn’t going to fight in 2024 and he didn’t.
“He’s going to fight in 2025, probably at the end of the year, if it is earlier that is good for all of us.”
Former two-division champion McGregor, who was ordered to pay Ms Hand £206,000 ($250,000) in damages, has vowed to appeal last month’s verdict.
And he’s seemingly confident he will fight again, writing on X: “People want to hear from me, I needed time. I know I made mistakes.
“I should never have stepped out on the woman I love the most in the world. That’s all on me.
“I have instructed my legal team to appeal the decision.
“I can’t go back and I will move forward.
“I am beyond grateful to my family, friends and supporters all over the world who have stayed by my side.
“That’s it. No more. Getting back to the gym – the fight game awaits!”
