Dana White responds to criticism for booking Conor McGregor amid sexual assault allegations

UFC president Dana White says he hasn’t heard criticism of his booking of Conor McGregor into a fight amid multiple reported allegations of sexual assault.

In late March, The New York Times reported McGregor (21-4 MMA, 9-2 UFC) was being investigated in Ireland for sexual assault. In mid-October, the outlet reported a second sexual assault allegation, for which McGregor was investigated. This accusation came from a different accuser. Irish laws prevent publications from printing the names of those accused of sexual crimes, which is why they came to light in a U.S.-based outlet.

While there has been criticism of the promotion’s matchup of McGregor against Donald Cerrone at UFC 246 on Jan. 18, White told Yahoo Sports he’s heard none of it.

“I didn’t even know (about the criticism),” White said. “He hasn’t been charged with anything. You can’t accuse somebody and stop them from making a living when they haven’t even been charged of anything.

“Conor McGregor has made a lot of bad decisions in the past several years. He has paid for it. He walked into court and plead guilty to punching that guy in the face in Ireland. He paid for the slapping of the phone out of the thing. He attacked the bus and paid for that.”

The UFC president reiterated multiple times throughout the interview his belief that if McGregor were to get charged with a crime, things would be different. However, at this time, McGregor hasn’t been charged. So White indicated he doesn’t see any reason to prevent the former UFC lightweight and featherweight champion from competing.

“He’s obviously done some things,” White said. “He’s been charged and paid and done everything he’s supposed to do. These other things, first of all I don’t even know. Has it said that he’s the guy that’s being accused?”

“Listen, if he was being charged with something right now. It would be a different story. The New York Times have wrote those stories, but those are no other stories out there about Conor McGregor.”