McGregor Escapes Suit Over Alleged Sexual Assault at 2023 NBA Finals

Conor McGregor is off the hook in a civil lawsuit that alleged he sexually assaulted an anonymous plaintiff after a 2023 NBA Finals game at the Heat’s home arena.

The woman sued McGregor, a pro MMA fighter, in January in Florida federal court, claiming that after the final buzzer sounded on Game 4 of the 2023 NBA Finals between the Heat and Nuggets, an acquaintance of the famous fighter grabbed her wrist and led her away from the Kaseya Center’s courtside club. 

According to the complaint, an inebriated McGregor then appeared and led the plaintiff into an arena bathroom where he “attempted to forcefully place his unprotected penis into Jane Doe’s mouth without her consent.” The woman tried to escape, but McGregor slammed her into the wall face first, the suit alleged, and put her in an arm lock. She was able to escape and then left the arena. 

On Tuesday, nearly a year after she launched the case, the woman voluntarily dropped her suit with prejudice, meaning she cannot refile the same claims. The filing contains no other detail, and an attorney for the plaintiff declined to comment Thursday. A representative for McGregor did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The alleged assault from the now-dismissed lawsuit came to light days after the game, when the woman reported it to Miami police. That fall, the state attorney’s office announced it would not seek criminal charges in the case, which led to her filing the lawsuit.

In January, the woman’s lawyer told Front Office Sports that the suit was filed because the burden of evidence is lower in Florida civil trials, and after the state chose not to bring charges, a civil case was the “only avenue that my client has to seek justice in this case.”

The suit initially also named the Heat and Basketball Properties LLC, which operates the Kaseya Center, as defendants. Both were dropped as defendants a few weeks after the suit was filed—an amended complaint from Jan. 28 said the plaintiff intended to pursue claims against those parties in state court. It’s not clear whether suits were filed in state court, and the woman’s attorney did not respond to a followup email. A representative for the Heat did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The alleged bathroom altercation wasn’t the only incident involving McGregor at that 2023 game. McGregor was at the game to promote a pain relief spray and appeared in a halftime skit with the Heat’s mascot. In the skit, he and the mascot, Burnie, circled each other, before McGregor punched Burnie in the head, sending him to the ground. While Burnie was on the ground, McGregor landed another punch on the mascot before he and others sprayed him with the promotional product. 

The person wearing the Burnie suit was later taken to a local hospital.

The initial complaint alleged the arena staff were aware of Burnie’s injuries, but continued to bring McGregor alcohol.

Two months before the NBA Finals game, a Dublin civil jury found McGregor liable for sexually assaulting a different woman. 

McGregor, one of the most famous and highest earning UFC fighters in history, hasn’t fought in the Octagon since 2021, when he broke his leg against Dustin Poirier.