Champ champ has tapped out again and deleted it
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We could all learn from Conorâs concern for women. The welfare of a 16 and 20 year old are his priority. Shame on the older woman for partaking in the stitch up. Good on Conor for resisting the urge to drag them all out the back and teaching them a lesson.
Imagine how many rebrands Conor would have gone through if he was on here
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Was it not his sister who sacked her?
Exactly what I was thinking.
He used the command âIn, dickâ before though.
The Russian Hammer has knocked a right few shekels outa the beleaguered Konnor. Heâs on a bad run of form of late, reminiscent of Tottenham Hotspur and just canât seem to get a win.
Heâs âtrainingâ for some bit of a scuffle in July or so but I wouldnât be putting the house on him.
Anyone?
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âI want to thank him for his hard work for my whiskey businessâ â Conor McGregor settles multi-million euro dispute with Artem Lobov
Artem Lobov and Conor McGregor in 2016. Photo: Getty
Conor McGregor. Photo: PA
Artem Lobov and Conor McGregor in 2016. Photo: Getty
Conor McGregor. Photo: PA
Shane Phelan
Today at 13:24
Mixed martial arts star Conor McGregor is to make a financial settlement with his former friend and sparring partner Artem Lobov to end a multi-million euro dispute over the creation of his whiskey brand.
The compromise was announced in the High Court shortly before lunchtime.
A trial of the case, in which Russian-born Lobov (39) sued McGregor (37) claiming he was entitled to 5pc of the proceeds of the brand that became known as Proper No Twelve, had been due to get underway today. Eight days were set aside for the hearing.
However, following discussions this morning, Lobovâs counsel Andrew Walker SC, who appeared instructed by solicitor Dermot McNamara, told Mr Justice John Jordan the matter had âresolvedâ.
Conor McGregor. Photo: PA
McGregor settles with former sparring partner over whiskey company dispute
A copy of the settlement was shown to the judge and is to be lodged on the court file, with the case adjourned until May 20 to ensure the agreement is complied with.
Lobov was present in court but McGregor did not attend.
A short statement from McGregor, who is planning a return to UFC competition, was read by his counsel, Mark Lynam SC, who appeared instructed by solicitor CiarĂĄn Mulholland.
âI am satisfied that this matter has been resolved and I can focus on my training for this summerâs fight. I want to thank Artem for his hard work for my whiskey business,â the statement said.
Artem Lobov and Conor McGregor in 2016. Photo: Getty
Afterwards, Lobov said: âI am happy with the resolution, all happy.â
The size of the settlement was not disclosed in open court.
Lobovâs claim centred around an alleged oral agreement between him and McGregor, said to have been sealed with a handshake in front of witnesses at the SBG Ireland gym at Naas Road in Dublin in October 2017.
In the lawsuit he sought the specific performance of the alleged agreement or, in the alternative, damages for breach of agreement.
His case was that he came up with the whiskey concept and set up a potential deal with West Cork Distillers but got âmuscled outâ of the business when McGregorâs sports manager Audie Attar and businessman Ken Austin became involved.
Conor McGregor. Photo: PA
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McGregor is reputed to have been paid $130m (âŹ110m) when he, Attar and Austin subsequently sold their stakes in the whiskey to Proximo Spirits, owners of Jose Cuervo tequila, for $600m (âŹ508m) in 2021.
McGregor denied the claims but admitted offering to make an ex-gratia payment of $1m (âŹ840,000) to Lobov in recognition of what he described as âprior limited involvement in a potential Irish Whiskey venture that was not pursuedâ.
The offer was rejected in 2020 by Lobov, a retired MMA fighter nicknamed âThe Russian Hammerâ.
When Lobov sued McGregor in 2022, the former UFC champion responded with a tirade of verbal abuse directed at Lobov on social media, calling him, among other things, âa ratâ.
Lawyers for Lobov sought an injunction restraining McGregor from making defamatory comments about him.
However, the High Court found that while the remarks may be regarded as âvulgar abuse" from a âtrash talkingâ MMA fighter, no reasonable member of society would attach any significance to them.
In an affidavit, Lobov said he had a masterâs degree in finance and capital markets from DCU and had an interest in the Irish drinks industry and extensive contacts.
Lobov said that he suggested in 2016 that McGregor should launch a whiskey brand.
He claimed that it was commonplace for McGregor to explore deals with various brands and that if an associate brought a product to his attention and it proceeded, a 20pc commission would apply.
He claimed that after extensive research, he negotiated a deal with West Cork Distillers, under which McGregor would retain 100pc ownership of the brand and the company incorporated to sell the whiskey, with profits split on a 50/50 basis with the distiller. No investment capital was required.
But after the potential deal was negotiated, McGregor got his management company, Paradigm Sports, and its main shareholder, Attar, involved.
It was decided McGregorâs fight with Floyd Mayweather in August 2017 would be âthe ideal opportunityâ to publicise the bringing to market of a new whiskey brand.
A bottle and whiskey supplied by West Cork Distillers, bearing the label âNotorious Irish Whiskeyâ featured at press conferences in advance of the fight.
According to Lobov, after seeing the product launch, Austin, an American businessman with a background in the spirits industry, became involved âalmost overnightâ.
He claimed that at this point he was excluded from any email correspondence and that the corporate structure of the company formed to own the brand was altered to give Attar and Austin significant shareholdings, while the supplier of the whiskey was changed to Bushmills instead of West Cork Distillers.
Lobov said that in October 2017 at the SBG gym he challenged McGregor as to why he had been excluded from the project and the commission payment he was entitled to.
According to Lobov, McGregor promised to restore him to all communications and offered him 5pc of the proceeds of the whiskey deal.
âRemember, 5pc is yours, no matter what,â McGregor is alleged to have said.
Lobov said he had accepted the offer. However, McGregor denied making it.
The MMA fighter said that while Lobov identified West Cork Distillers and Maloneâs Whiskey as potential partners, it was Paradigm Sports Management who handled a significant part of the negotiations with those businesses but ultimately no agreement was reached.
McGregor said that having evaluated Austinâs reputation, he opted to work with him and they went on to incorporate a company, Eire Born Ventures, which later secured a joint venture with Proximo Spirits, the scope of far exceeded the West Cork Distillers proposal.
He maintained the brand that was ultimately created had a different name, recipe, bottle, distiller, marketing team, management team, corporate structure, capital structure and route to market than had been under discussion during the West Cork Distillers/Malones negotiations.
The case is the second significant civil action McGregor has faced in the Four Courts in recent years.
He lost a civil rape claim in November 2024 and was ordered to pay close to âŹ250,000 in damages to hair colourist Nikita Hand, as well as her legal costs, thought to be in excess of âŹ1.5m.
McGregor also lost significant commercial opportunities as retailers and pubs boycotted alcohol products associated with him in the aftermath of the jury verdict.
The mixed martial arts star had continued to promote Proper No Twelve after selling his stake in the whiskey, but Proximo Spirits cut ties with him following the civil rape verdict.
Heâs a lad who if he had ducks theyâd drownâŚâŚ