DUBLIN — Irish mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor was convicted on Friday of assault for punching a man who refused a shot of whiskey from him in a Dublin pub in April and was fined €1,000 ($1,117).
The 31-year-old twice Ultimate Fighting Championship title-holder, offered a guilty plea and apologized to his victim in Dublin’s District Court.
“What I did was very wrong. I would like to apologize again to the injured party… and assure you that nothing of this nature will happen again,” said McGregor, dressed in a navy suit and tie.
McGregor’s solicitor Michael Staines asked the court to give McGregor “one last chance” and said a criminal conviction could lead to a refusal of a visa to the United States and create “very severe difficulties” for McGregor’s career.
McGregor, who declined to comment to the media after the hearing, last week announced plans to return to the UFC octagon in Las Vegas on Jan. 18 against an opponent he declined to name.
He said he wants three fights in 2020, including rematches with Nate Diaz and Khabib Nurmagomedov, who defeated the Irishman in a lightweight title bout last year, the Irishman’s most recent MMA fight. — Reuters
