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23rd Aug 2019

“I was in the wrong” – Conor McGregor apologises over incident in Dublin pub

Alan Loughnane

Conor Mcgregor apology

“I was in the wrong and I must take accountability, take responsibility.”

Conor McGregor has apologised for his behaviour in relation to an incident captured on CCTV which appears to show the mixed martial arts star punching an older man in the face in a pub in Dublin.

In an interview with ESPN, the fighter said seeing the footage, in which he punches the man in what appears to be an unprovoked attack at a pub in Drimnagh in April, was like a “dagger into my heart.”

Gardaí confirmed that they’re still investigating an assault incident at a public house in Drimnagh but McGregor said he’s ready to take accountability for his actions.

“I was in the wrong. That man deserved to enjoy his time in the pub without having it end the way it did,” McGregor told ESPN2.

“It was five months ago and I tried to make amends and I made amends back then. But that doesn’t matter, I was in the wrong and I must take accountability, take responsibility.

“I owe that to the people that have supported me. I owe it to my mother, my father, my family. I owe it to the people that trained me in martial arts. That’s not who I am.

“That is not the reason I got into martial arts or studying combat sports. The reason I got into it was to defend against that type of scenario.

“I have been making steps and continuing to make steps to do better and be better, to see it (the footage) is like a dagger into my heart as a young martial artist.”

The Dubliner, who has not won a fight in the UFC since November 2016 said he plans to make a comeback, despite announcing his retirement in March.

“I must get my head screwed on and just get back in the game and fight for redemption, retribution, respect – the things that made me the man I am,” McGregor said.

“And that’s what I will do.”