Conor McGregor reached a plea deal with prosecutors that will help him avoid jail time
Conor McGregor will avoid prison time after announcing a plea deal with prosecutors in a Brooklyn, New York courtroom on Thursday morning.
McGregor did plead guilty to a single disorderly conduct violation. The decision did not affect the status of his travel visa, which is significant because he could be fighting in a major UFC event in the United States in either October or November, according to ESPN.
The brash, 30-year-old UFC star had been charged with assault and criminal mischief for his role in a brawl at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center in April that left several fighters covered in glass when he smashed a hand truck into the window of a van in which they were riding.
McGregor will have to pay restitution for damage to the van and will be forced to attend an anger management class.
The Dublin native declined to make a statement in the courtroom, but did thank his fans on his way out of the building.
McGregor faced up to seven years if convicted on all charges, but that was never considered a likely outcome, particularly after McGregor’s attorney told a Brooklyn judge in June that the plea deal was being negotiated with prosecutors and his co-defendant, Cian Cowley, another Irish fighter.
In June, McGregor said he regretted his actions, although he did not publicly apologize to the victims.
Video footage showed McGregor hurling a hand truck at a bus full of fighters after a press conference for UFC 223 at Barclays Center in April. MMA stars Michael Chiesa, Ray Borg, and others were injured by shattered glass and unable to compete in the event.
Mixed martial arts superstar Connor McGregor Arrives at Brooklyn criminal court facing charges over bus attack at Barclays Center in New York City on Thursday morning
The UFC, the sport’s premier organizing body, said one fighter was hit by a dolly thrown through a window, while another suffered a cut to his eye after the glass shattered.
At the time of the melee, McGregor was angry that the UFC had stripped him of the lightweight title, according to profanity-laced messages he posted on: ‘You’s’ll strip me of nothing you’s do nothing c****.’
UFC President Dana White ruled that McGregor, the first UFC fighter to hold two world titles simultaneously, had to forfeit the lightweight belt to whomever won the Al Iaquinta-Nurmagomedov bout because McGregor had’t participated in a UFC event since 2016 – nearly a year before his doomed boxing debut against Floyd Mayweather Jr. in August of 2017.
If McGregor can stay out of trouble, he could take part in a lucrative UFC comeback later this year, possibly on October 6 or December 29. That fight would likely be against Khabib Nurmagomedov, who currently holds McGregor’s old UFC lightweight title and was believed to be the intended target during the attack on the bus.
McGregor arrived at a Brooklyn courtroom for the second time in the last two months
UFC fighters Rose Namajunas (left) Michael Chiesa (right) were both left covered in glass after the run-in with McGregor and his entourage in the bowels of Brooklyn’s Barclays Center
Khabib Nurmagomedov (left) currently holds Conor McGregor’s old UFC lightweight title and was believed to be the intended target during the attack on the bus
Nurmagomedov, a lightweight, was in the van and is believed to have been the target of the McGregor’s rage. The 29-year-old Russian previously had a public confrontation with Artem Lobov, a friend and training partner of McGregor’s who was scratched from his own fight on Saturday because of his involvement in Thursday’s incident.
Video depicted McGregor throwing a dolly into the van as it attempted to drive onto the truck elevator at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center
The footage begins with McGregor approaching the bus as it inched towards the truck elevators to exit the building. At one point McGregor could be seen running for a dolly, picking it up and throwing it at the moving vehicle, breaking one rear window.
‘Approximately 20 guys were apparently let in through the doors by the Mac Life guys, who were credentialed here,’ White explained later that day, referencing McGregor’s brand and its employees who allegedly helped the Dublin native and his crew enter Barclays Center.
‘They opened the doors for them, through an entrance, they stormed the building, got down to the loading docks where the fighters were getting on the buses and started to attack the buses, throwing trash cans and dollies and things like that,’ White continued. ‘Broke one of the windows and cut Michael Chiesa real bad. He cut his head and cut his face.
‘[UFC fighter] Rose Namajunas was apparently almost hit. She’s super upset right now… Hurt one of our employees, broke one of our employee’s knuckles.’
Footage from the scene shows McGregor attempting to hurl a guard rail through the window of the van full of fighters before being prevented by security.
Prior to the melee in Brooklyn, McGregor had been upset about his UFC lightweight title being taken from him. UFC President Dana White ruled that McGregor, the first UFC fighter to hold two world titles simultaneously, had to forfeit the lightweight belt to whomever won the Al Iaquinta-Nurmagomedov bout because McGregor had’t participated in a UFC event since 2016 – nearly a year before his doomed boxing debut against Floyd Mayweather Jr. in August of 2017.
The Dubliner can then be seen trying to do the same with a trash can before being thwarted once again.
McGregor was booked at the 78th Precinct across the street from Barclays Center on April 6 – a day after the melee in Brooklyn
The confrontation led to several injuries and the cancellation of three of UFC 223’s scheduled bouts.
Lightweight Michael Chiesa suffered a laceration to his face and, as a result, was forced to pull out from the event.
Flyweight Ray Borg was also scratched ahead of his bout with Brandon Moreno due to ‘multiple corneal abrasions’, the UFC said in a statement.
And because the featherweight Lobov was involved in instigating the fracas, his bout with Alex Caceres was also cancelled.
Making matters worse for the UFC, Max Holloway was not medically cleared to fight Nurmagomedov in the main event.
McGregor was scheduled to lose his UFC lightweight belt to the winner of the title bout between Max Holloway and Nurmagomedov.
Flyweight Ray Borg was scratched from UFC 223 because of lacerations from shattered glass