Photo by Raymond Hall/GC Images(NEW YORK) — Mixed martial arts star Conor McGregor broke his silence Thursday about allegedly sparking a melee in April in Brooklyn, New York, that left two foes injured — saying he “regrets” his actions in the out-of-Octagon altercation.
The 29-year-old Irish cage brawler spoke following a brief hearing in Brooklyn Supreme Court, where a prosecutor told a judge that McGregor and another MMA fighter, Cian Cowley, were in the process of negotiating a plea deal on assault charges.
“I regret my actions that led me here today,” the heavily tattooed McGregor told reporters as he left the courthouse. “I understand the seriousness of this matter and I am hopeful that it gets resolved soon.”
McGregor, the former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) featherweight and lightweight titleholder, was charged with three counts of assault and one count of criminal mischief after being arrested on April 6. He allegedly attacked a bus full of fighters following a pre-fight press conference for what had been billed as a 13-bout UFC 223 match at the Barclays Center.
Fighters Michael Chiesa and Ray Borg were injured by flying glass when McGregor threw a metal dolly at their bus in a backstage area of the Barclays Center, shattering a window. The attack was caught on video and also showed Cowley allegedly hurling a chair at the bus and McGregor also attempting to throw a metal barricade to the vehicle before he was stopped.
Cowley, 25, was also charged with assault and criminal mischief.
Brooklyn Assistant District Attorney Janet Gleeson told a judge Thursday that the case against McGregor and Cowley has not been presented to a grand jury for possible indictment due to the plea negotiations.
McGregor and Cowley were ordered to return to court on July 26. They both remain free on $50,000 bail each.
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