Former Ultimate Fighting Champion (UFC) fighter Conor McGregor has been accused of sexual assault during an NBA Finals game in Miami.
The incident, which was first reported by TMZ, occurred on June 9th, during Game 4 of the NBA Finals. The accuser states that McGregor forced himself upon her inside a VIP men’s bathroom at the Kaseya Center, in addition to trying to coerce her into various sexual acts.
McGregor had been invited to the game as a guest of the NBA and the Miami Heat, where he participated in a skit.
According to statements released by the unnamed accuser’s lawyer, Ariel Mitchell, she and the pro fighter had been partying at a club inside the arena. After McGregor had exited the club a man in a Denver Nuggets jersey allegedly came up to her and told her McGregor had sent him to get her. Mitchell says her client was “under the belief they were going to the Four Seasons Hotel, as Conor had previously asked her to join him at his hotel room.”
Footage released by TMZ shows the pro fighter speaking with a woman in the hallway (later identified as the accuser), then taking her by the hand and making a path, heading inside a bathroom, which then closes, where the alleged assault occurred.
The footage appears to refute the accuser’s earlier claims that the NBA and Miami Heat security forced the accuser into the restroom, while security refused to let her exit or allow her friend to come in the bathroom, although the footage shows three individuals who look like security assembling in front of the door that would prevent anyone from entering or exiting.
Later footage shows the woman and McGregor awkwardly interacting with one another at an inside club roughly a half hour later, after which he leaves the area.
McGregor’s lawyer, Barbara R. Llanes, issued a statement to TMZ in response to the footage released, stating that McGregor “welcomes the investigation, which he firmly believes will show the claims against him are false,” accusing the alleged victim of a “shakedown” attempt.
The NBA and the Miami Heat acknowledged the allegations against McGregor, with the Heat stating it is conducting an investigation into the matter, withholding further comment until it concludes.
McGregor and his legal team refute the allegations, which follow four previous accusations against the UFC fighter for sexual assault, all of which have occurred outside the US.
The Miami Police confirmed to The Crime Report that a complaint was filed on June 11th but have not confirmed McGregor’s name in the complaint, although an incident report was released to The Crime Report that matched his age and gender. Miami PD stated that “no additional information can be released at this time,” due to the investigation being ongoing.
Muazam Moon is a TCR Intern and sophomore at City College of New York.
