Conor McGregor appears to have responded to Jake Paul in a now-deleted social media post after the YouTube boxer took aim at the Irishman over his sexual assault conviction.
McGregor, 36, faced an allegation that he brutally raped and assaulted Nikita Hand, 35, in a south Dublin hotel in December 2018.
The MMA fighter previously told the court he had consensual sex with Ms Hand, also known as Nikita Ni Laimhin, at the Beacon Hotel. He denied causing any bruises to the complainant.
And he has now vowed to appeal the decision, saying he was ‘disappointed’ and ‘focused on my future’. He was told to pay the woman who accused him of raping her in a hotel six years ago 250,000 euros.
Following the verdict, Paul took to social media to target his rival, as well as UFC President Dana White, posting: “Dan beats his wife. Conor is convicted of rape. But I’m the bad guy?’
McGregor, meanwhile, after breaking his silence on the verdict, appeared to hit back at Paul on social media platform
Conor McGregor has hit back at Jake Paul following the Irishman’s statement about sexual abuse
McGregor was accused of brutally raping and assaulting Nikita Hand in 2018.
Paul questioned why he’s the ‘bad guy’ after writing online that ‘Conor has been convicted of rape’
Paul later added: ‘Calling someone gay and thinking you’re hitting them with a zinger shows how cooked Conor’s brain is from all the coke. Shout out to all the nerds.”
The rivalry between Paul and McGregor goes back years, and in July, after Paul knocked out Mike Perry, McGregor described the YouTube star as the “biggest dick I’ve ever seen in my life.”
The Irishman added: ’40lb weight difference, squeezed out of his head and still finding himself in there. Nakisa, you should take him to Vegas, oh that’s right, you could never do that, test the athletic committee, really test, really fight.
‘B***ha**es. You could never do that. And then summon 60-year-old Mike Tyson just after an in-flight medical emergency? I swear to God, a fat can of big horsepower. Most valuable bag.’
The pair have not been fond of each other for some time, with Paul making it clear he is keen to try and attack McGregor.
After Paul beat Mike Tyson last week, McGregor posted online: ‘A 16 minute sparring in sparring gloves. Fuck off.”
McGregor later deleted the tweet, but that didn’t stop Paul from responding via the same platform.
Paul hit back: “Dear Conor, I know you told my team you would fight me at 170 pounds. That never happens.
“But let’s do it in MMA. No weight class. Just like it was done in the old days. But you don’t do that.’
Paul responded again to McGregor’s words on his own X profile on Friday evening
McGregor vowed to appeal the decision and said he was ‘disappointed’ with the verdict
The MMA fighter previously told the court he had consensual sex with Ms Hand (not pictured)
He also referenced UFC president Dana White, who was caught beating his wife on camera
McGregor broke his silence on Friday afternoon, saying: ‘I will appeal today’s decision. The judge’s instruction and the modest award awarded were for assault, not for serious or exemplary damages.
“I am disappointed that the jury did not hear all of the evidence that the DPP reviewed. I am with my family now, focused on my future. Thank you for all my support worldwide.”
After deliberating for six hours and ten minutes, the jury returned this afternoon with their verdict in the trial, awarding Ms Hand almost €250,000.
McGregor shook his head as the jury of eight women and four men found him liable for assaulting Ms Hand.
Ms Hand cried and was hugged by her partner and supporters as the verdict was handed down.
Outside court she described the past two weeks as a “nightmare” but said she felt vindicated.
Meanwhile, in 2023, a video surfaced of White hitting his wife twice in a nightclub on New Year’s Eve.
He apologized for his behavior, adding that alcohol was involved but that “there is no excuse.”
Like McGregor, he is also involved in an ongoing rivalry with influencer Paul.