Conor McGregor has again found himself at the center of a wild plot involving some extremely heavy hitters.
According to various unconfirmed reports in Ireland and the UK, a threat has been made against McGregor’s life over a sensational barroom brawl with Irish mafia figures.
The reports claim that senior members of Ireland’s infamous Kinahan crime cartel are seeking retribution against the UFC lightweight champion over an assault in an Irish bar.
Irish police are aware of claims that McGregor allegedly assaulted a man with ties to Kinahan lieutenant Graham “The Wig” Whelan — one of the country’s most feared gangsters, who was a key player in a long-running feud that claimed 16 lives in the early 2000s.
One report suggested the man, who is in his 50s, is Whelan’s father.
However, there is no solid evidence supporting the rumors that have spread through social media — in part thanks to McGregor — like wildfire.
Despite the lack of evidence, the story goes that McGregor on Sunday was at the Black Forge Inn in Crumlin, the Dublin suburb he grew up in, when he is alleged to have thrown several punches after a dispute with a group of men.
McGregor is alleged to have tried to strike one member of the group before the associate of Whelan’s stepped in and was punched twice by the UFC star.
The reports claim McGregor also punched a third man during the incident before he was escorted out of the pub and into a car.
UFC boss: ‘I don’t think it’s true’
Irish police have said they are not investigating the scuffle.
“There is no report on this matter and no complaint from any injured parties, patrons of the pub or the pub itself and no statements were taken,” an Irish police spokesman told The Irish Independent.
UFC boss Dana White said Wednesday that the promotion has not received any information regarding McGregor’s involvement in an alleged bar fight.
“I don’t think it’s true,” White said. “Because if it was true, it would be big. Conor can walk down the street and it’s big news now. If this were true, I just have to believe it would be off-the-charts crazy. If it’s true, we’ll end up finding out. I can’t chase all these things around. If it’s true, we’ll get it figured out and we’ll go from there.”
Irish media outlets reported Tuesday that a “well known Irish celebrity assaulted a close associate of a senior Kinahan cartel henchman” — but did not mention the 29-year-old mixed martial artist.
McGregor has since taken to Instagram to post a silent video of his covered face, captioned simply as: “The celebrity.”
The reports claim Whelan has demanded McGregor pay restitution of 900,000 Euros ($1,060,000 million) or the crime figure will have the biggest name in MMA shot.
Online fight site Craziestsportsfights.com claims to have uncovered an unverified audio recording from a source with knowledge of the situation.
The source claimed the altercation at the Black Forge stemmed from an earlier incident when a close friend of McGregor’s was targeted.
The website admits the audio is unsubstantiated.
“The first girl, Meghan Whelan, so her brother is Graham Whelan out of Crumlin. Also known as The Wig,” the audio clip claims.
“He’s major, so that’s not going to end well for [McGregor]. He went into the pub and he was trying to get at Ryan Burne (another Whelan associate). Ryan Burne is who he gave the digs (punches) at.
“So Meghan Whelan’s dad was in the way, and he ended up getting a boxing to the head as well and [McGregor] was smashing Ryan Burne up. Ryan Burne’s only a little skinny [expletive] from Crumlin, but he hangs out with Pat and Paulo Timmins.
“Now a couple of weeks ago, [McGregor] smashed the two of them up because the Timmins’ sent people up to Andy Murray’s house. Now Andy Murray (not the tennis player) is also another heavy [involved in organized crime], but I don’t know why Conor’s even getting involved in any of it, to be honest.
“They send people up to Andy’s house, and there was a bit of trouble up at Andy’s house so I’d say he’s only gone up there to say … ‘What’re you doing sending people up to my mate’s house?’ and smashed them up. But yeah, your man Ryan hangs around with them fellas, so I think he was just guilty by association, and that’s why he got the digs (punches).
“But the fact is that Whelan’s awfully big in the hits [assassinations]. It’s all going to kick off, so buckle up, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.”
The MMA Bible has also reported claims from people claiming to have witnessed McGregor involved in the bar fight.