Mark RaimondiESPN staff writer2 minute reading
UFC star Conor McGregor is accused of sexually assaulting a woman during last week’s NBA Finals in Miami, according to legal documents obtained by ESPN on Thursday.
According to a letter sent to McGregor and his team, the woman said McGregor “brutally” forced himself on her in a VIP men’s bathroom at the Kasea Center. She said McGregor “aggressively kissed her” before engaging in several sexual acts.
The incident reportedly took place during Game 4 of the final on Friday. The woman has accused Miami Heat and NBA security of aiding McGregor in the assault by separating her from her friend and forcing her into a bathroom.
McGregor, 34, denied the allegations through his lawyer Barbara Lance.
“Mr. McGregor will not be intimidated,” Llanes wrote in a statement to ESPN.
Ariel Mitchell, an attorney representing the woman, wrote to McGregor that the woman immediately contacted law enforcement and her law firm after the attack. The letter warned of potential lawsuits and called on McGregor to preserve all possible evidence. Mitchell also sent legal letters to the Heat and the NBA.
The Miami Police Department declined to comment to ESPN about a possible investigation into the allegations against McGregor.
The UFC released a statement Thursday saying it was aware of the allegations against McGregor and that it would “continue to gather more details regarding the incident. The UFC will allow the legal process before making any further statements.”
McGregor was at the game as a guest of the NBA and the Heat, who played the Denver Nuggets in the finals. At halftime of Game 4, McGregor participated in a skit promoting a rescue spray in which he punched Heat mascot Barney twice, which sent the person portraying the mascot to the emergency room for pain medication.
Both the Heat and the NBA acknowledged the woman’s allegations in statements.
“We are aware of the allegations and are conducting a thorough investigation,” the Heat said. “Pending the outcome of the investigation, we will not comment further.”
The NBA said it is working with the Heat to gather more information.
McGregor has been accused of sexual assault four times outside the United States, although he has faced no legal punishment and at least one case has been dropped.
TMZ first reported the latest allegations against McGregor.
McGregor, a former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion, is the highest-paid star in mixed martial arts history, having competed in several of the highest-grossing spectacles of all time, including a 2017 boxing match with Floyd Mayweather. McGregor has been recovering from a broken leg since July 2021 and is a trainer on the current season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” which was filmed in Las Vegas earlier this year.
ESPN’s Nick Friedell contributed to this report.
