Proper No. 12 Whiskey Cuts Ties with Conor McGregor After Sexual Assault Verdict

Conor McGregor will no longer be the face of Proper No. 12 Whiskey, according to a report from the Irish Independent.

Proximo Spirits, which owns the whiskey brand, announced that it will no longer use McGregor’s name or likeness in association with the drink. The decision comes after McGregor was found liable for sexual assault during a civil lawsuit in Dublin High Court last week. The UFC star was ordered to pay more than $250,000 in damages to the victim, Nikita Hand.

“Since 2021, Proximo Spirits has been the 100pc owner of Proper No. 12 Irish Whiskey,” Proximo Spirits said. “Going forward, we do not plan to use Mr. McGregor’s name and likeness in the marketing of the brand.”

McGregor and his partners sold their majority stake in the whiskey brand to Proximo Spirits – which had been a 49% owner -- in 2021 for a reported $600 million. Even after the sale, McGregor maintained an active role within the company as a spokeperson and representative of the brand.

According to the report, multiple retail chains in Ireland have pulled drinks associated with McGregor – including Proper No. 12 and Forged Irish Stout – from their shelves. One of those companies, the Barry Group, which owns multiple outlets, stated that the decision “reflects our commitment to maintaining a retail environment that resonates with the values of our customers and partners.”

Earlier this week, video game developer IO Interactive announced that McGregor would be pulled from its “Hitman: World of Assassination” game. The Irish star had been a downloadable character but will no longer be available. According to the Irish Independent, “other businesses linked to the fighter are also under pressure to dissociate themselves from his products.”

Meanwhile, the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre issued a statement asking for support of Hand following the civil suit ruling. The organization urged the public to “examine whether the brands they associate with or follow are consistent with their own values and are opposed to violence against women.”

McGregor posted his own statement on social media on Monday, denying that he committed sexual assault while expressing remorse for cheating on his partner, Dee Devlin. The Dublin native also stated the he plans to appeal the ruling. The UFC has not publicly commented on the situation.

McGregor was scheduled to return to the Octagon for the first time since July 2021 against Michael Chandler in the UFC 303 main event this past June. However, he pulled out of the fight on the week of the event due to a broken toe. Since then, a timetable for his next fight has been unclear.