Connor McGregor pleads guilty to assault in Brooklyn criminal court in bid to avoid prison sentence
Connor McGregor pled guilty to charges of assault and criminal mischief after throwing a dolly and a chair at a bus during an UFC event in a brawl during which two MMA fighters were injured.
New York: Irish mixed martial arts superstar Conor McGregor pleaded guilty in a Brooklyn criminal court on Thursday to disorderly conduct, cutting a deal that allows him to avoid prison time over a New York brawl.
Connor McGregor was involved in a scuffle during a UFC event in April which injured two UFC fighters. AP
The 30-year-old, who is nicknamed "The Notorious," had been charged with multiple counts of assault and criminal mischief after attacking a bus filled with Ultimate Fighting Championship contenders at the Barclays Center in April. The frenzied attack injured two athletes.
McGregor pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of disorderly conduct in a fleeting court appearance, and was handed a punishment of five days' community service and an anger management program. All felony counts were dropped. But he was served with "orders of protection," to stay away from three people. McGregor stood before the judge, looking somber in a dark suit and striped tie, for the brief appearance.
"I just want to say I'm thankful to the DA (district attorney) and the judge for allowing me to move forward," a visibly relieved McGregor told reporters outside the court, adding, "I want to say to my friends, my family, my fans — thank you for the support."
"Now it's about getting back to business," said his manager, Audie Attar. He had faced up to seven years in prison if convicted on all counts, and was released on $50,000 bail following his arrest. Last month, following an earlier court appearance, McGregor expressed "regret" over the attack on the bus of rival fighters.
The Irishman pocketed around $100 million for the superfight he lost in August in Las Vegas against ex-welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather. Their matchup was one of the richest boxing bouts of all time. McGregor is ranked fourth on the Forbes list of the world's highest-paid athletes, with an estimated wealth of $99 million, behind Mayweather in at number one, and football sensations Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
He was filmed lobbing a dolly through a window of the bus in a New York stadium at the end of a media event on 5 April. The bus was moving slowly through the Barclays Center loading dock at the time. The father-of-one was also captured on surveillance cameras throwing a chair toward a passenger window of the bus.