Irish mixed martial arts (MMA) star Conor McGregor has lost his appeal in a rape case, as confirmed by a Dublin court on Thursday. The case, for which he was found liable in a civil court ruling last November, concluded with a three-judge appellate panel rejecting all arguments presented by the 36-year-old former champion. McGregor had submitted new evidence in March in an attempt to proceed with the appeal. 

His legal team, who appeared in court without McGregor present, argued that there had been procedural errors during the initial investigation and trial. However, the court upheld the original ruling. In November 2024, a jury at Dublin’s High Court ordered McGregor to pay €248,600 in damages to 35-year-old Nikita Hand, who accused the athlete of raping and assaulting her in 2018 at a hotel in the Irish capital. A separate criminal complaint had previously been dismissed.

Speaking to the press on Thursday, Nikita Hand said the appeal process had “retraumatized” her, but that she could now “finally move on and try to heal.” She emphasized, “I want to tell all survivors: I know how hard this is, but please don’t stay silent. You deserve to be heard.

You deserve justice.” Due to the court’s ruling, McGregor was also ordered to cover the full legal costs of Hand’s defense—an amount estimated at more than €1.3 million. Nicknamed “The Notorious,” McGregor is one of the biggest stars in the world of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the most popular and lucrative MMA league. He is also facing a separate civil lawsuit in the U.S. federal court from a woman who accuses him of sexually assaulting her in Miami in June 2023.