Conor McGregor: UFC fighter accuses woman 'full of lies' as he claims sex was 'consensual'
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The Irish mixed martial arts fighter, who is facing an accusation in the civil action that he “brutally raped and battered” Nikita Hand in a Dublin hotel, gave evidence to the High Court on Wednesday.
He told the court that he had consensual sex with Ms Hand in a penthouse in the Beacon Hotel, and said “she never said no or stopped”. Mr McGregor was asked about evidence Ms Hand gave in which she claimed he put her in a head lock and said “now you know how I felt in the octagon”, after he was beaten in a 2018 match.
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Hide Ad“Your client is full of lies. Everything is a lie,” Mr McGregor said. “How anyone could believe that me, as a prideful person, would highlight my shortcomings. It is a full-blown lie among many lies.” He later went on to describe the claim as a “fantasy”.
Ms Hand, who is claiming civil damages against Mr McGregor and another man, was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following the alleged incident in December 2018.


Ms Hand, who is also known as Nikita Ni Laimhin, is also suing another man, James Lawrence, for sexual assault on December 9 2018. Ms Hand, who has no automatic right to anonymity, has accused Mr McGregor of pinning her to a bed and raping her in a hotel bedroom in south Dublin.
Giving evidence on the sixth day of the case, Mr McGregor told John Gordon SC that he did “not force anyone to do anything against their will”. He described sex between him and Ms Hand as “vigorous, athletic, physical and prolonged”, adding that it was “not rough”.
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Hide AdMr McGregor denied he caused the bruises on her body, saying they may have been caused when she did a “swan dive” into a bath while they were partying in the hotel suite. He also claimed that Ms Hand was not wearing a tampon on the day of the alleged incident, saying he would not have had sex with her while on her cycle.
He also recounted receiving messages from Ms Hand, including a “slightly provocative” photo, inviting him to meet her and her friends. After picking her up with others, they went to the hotel, where the atmosphere was described as “fun, playful, and full of energy.”


Mr McGregor told the court that he and Ms Hand engaged in consensual sexual activity twice, describing it as “enthusiastic and athletic” and denying allegations of force or assault. He also disputed claims that Ms. Hand was wearing a tampon, stating, “There was no blood or discussion about a tampon.”
Regarding the injuries sustained by Ms Hand, Mr McGregor claimed she “swan-dived into the bath” and rejected her allegations as “lies.”
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Hide AdThe court heard from forensic scientist Dr Charlotte Murphy, who examined samples taken from Ms Hand and her clothing. DNA evidence confirmed semen matching Mr McGregor's DNA on Ms Hand's clothing and in vaginal swabs. Dr Murphy also reported that a strap on Ms Hand's jumpsuit was ripped, consistent with pulling.
Danielle Kealey, a colleague of Ms Hand, testified that she was in the penthouse at the time and observed no signs of distress or inappropriate behaviour. “Everything was fine and no one was in bad form,” she told the court, adding that she was “surprised” when Ms Hand later claimed she had been assaulted. Ms Kealey said Ms Hand had asked her to delete messages exchanged between them.
Mr McGregor testified that the allegations left him “shocked and frightened beyond belief,” calling it “the scariest thing I have ever gone through in my life.” He stated that he wanted to provide “every shred of evidence” to clear his name and said the police never requested his phone as part of the investigation.
Mr McGregor became visibly frustrated during questioning, prompting Justice Alexander Owens to caution him to “restrain himself.”
The trial, which includes evidence from forensic experts and additional witnesses, is ongoing.