Conor McGregor appeared to respond to Jake Paul in a now-deleted social media post after the YouTube boxer took aim at the Irishman following his sexual assault verdict.
McGregor, 36, faced an accusation of “raping and brutally beating” Nikita Hand, 35, at a hotel in south Dublin 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 bruises to the plaintiff.
And he has now vowed to appeal the decision, saying he was “disappointed” and “focused on my future.” He was told he must pay the woman who accused him of raping her in a hotel six years ago €250,000 (£207,805).
Following the verdict, Paul took aim at his rival, and also UFC president Dana White, on social media, posting: ‘Dan beats his wife. Conor is convicted of rape. But I’m the bad guy?’
Meanwhile, McGregor, after breaking his silence on the verdict, appeared to hit back at Paul on social media platform
Conor McGregor has responded to Jake Paul following the Irishman’s sexual assault verdict
McGregor faced accusation of ‘brutally raping and abusing’ Nikita Hand in 2018
Paul questioned why he is the ‘bad guy’ after writing online that ‘Conor is convicted of rape’
Paul later added: “Calling someone gay and thinking you’re hitting them with a joke shows how cooked Conor’s brain is from all the coke.” Greetings 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 idiot I’ve ever seen in my life.”
The Irishman added: ’40 pound weight difference, taken out of his head and still shitting there. Nakisa, you should take him to Las Vegas. Oh, that’s right, you never could, athletic commission tests, real tests, real fights.
‘Damn bitches. You never could. And then denounce 60-year-old Mike Tyson, fresh from a medical emergency during a flight? I swear to God, a fat can of shit. The most valuable bag of shit.
The pair have not been fond of each other for some time, and Paul made it clear that he would like to have a chance with McGregor.
After Paul beat Mike Tyson last week, McGregor posted online: ‘A 16 minute match with sparring gloves. Fuck off.’
McGregor later deleted the tweet, but that didn’t stop Paul from responding via the same platform.
Paul responded: ‘Dear Conor, I know you told my team you would fight me at 170lbs. That will never happen.
‘But let’s run it in MMA. No weight category. As it used to be done. But you won’t.
Paul responded to McGregor’s words again on his own X profile on Friday night.
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 hitting his wife on camera.
Breaking his silence on Friday afternoon, McGregor said: “I will appeal today’s decision. “The judge’s direction and the modest compensation awarded was for assault, not aggravated or exemplary harm.
‘I am disappointed that the jury did not hear all the evidence reviewed by the Public Prosecutor’s Office. Now I am with my family, focused on my future. Thank you to all my support around the world.”
After deliberating for six hours and 10 minutes, the jury returned with its verdict in this afternoon’s trial, awarding Mrs Hand almost €250,000.
McGregor shook his head as the jury of eight women and four men found him responsible for assaulting Ms Hand.
Mrs Hand cried and was hugged by her partner and supporters as the verdict was pronounced.
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 and added that there was alcohol involved, but there was “no excuse.”
Like McGregor, he has also been involved in an ongoing rivalry with influencer Paul.