McGregor Loses Irish Support After 2024 Assault Liability as UFC 329 Draws Fewer Traveling Fans
Updated
Updated · Yahoo Sports · Jul 8
McGregor Loses Irish Support After 2024 Assault Liability as UFC 329 Draws Fewer Traveling Fans
2 articles · Updated · Yahoo Sports · Jul 8
Summary
Irish backing for Conor McGregor has sharply faded ahead of UFC 329, with far fewer fans traveling to Las Vegas than during his peak years a decade ago.
November 2024 marked the turning point: an Irish civil court found McGregor liable for sexually assaulting Nikita Hand, triggering marches to reopen a criminal case and retailer boycotts of McGregor-linked products.
Dublin Airport offered a stark contrast to past fight weeks, when crowds in Ireland jerseys and McGregor merchandise packed U.S. pre-clearance lines; this time, the atmosphere barely signaled a McGregor event.
McGregor's support had already been eroding since 2017 amid repeated controversies, including offensive remarks, driving offenses, disorderly conduct, the Brooklyn bus attack and other assault allegations.
Las Vegas still has the billboards and global attention for his return, but the loudest support now appears more likely to come from outside Ireland than from the country that once made him a national icon.