Conor McGregor's brand empire faces massive setback as 1000+ stores reportedly drop his products amid recent case verdict

The Conor McGregor empire is starting to crumble after the Irish MMA star was found liable for assaulting Nikita Hand in December 2018. The civil case verdict, which was public on November 22, 2024, saw the jury order McGregor to pay 250,000 Euros in damages.

The news took the MMA world by storm, as McGregor, who has been absent from competition since 2021, faced massive backlash from fans and fellow MMA fighters alike. The UFC is still yet to release an official statement on the matter.

The first domino in the McGregor empire to fall was Proper No.12 Irish Whiskey. The whiskey brand McGregor helped launch and popularize has severed ties with him after stores refused to sell their products.

Now, over a thousand stores across Ireland announced that they will no longer sell any goods associated with Conor McGregor. Supermarket giant Tesco led the charge, refusing to sell the Irish whiskey in Ireland and the UK. Supervalu, Costcutter, Spar, Londis, Mace and EUROSPAR are either following suit or have at least announce they'll cease to sell McGregor-related products.

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When Conor McGregor topped Forbes' highest-paid athletes list

With this recent avalanche of brands and stores severing ties with Conor McGregor, it's safe to say that the Irishman's bottom line will be significantly affected. McGregor changed the MMA and combat sports world when he introduced a new level of self-promotion that's never been seen before.

Due to his uncanny ability to promote himself and bring eyes to his fights, 'The Notorious' headlined most of the UFC's highest-grossing pay-per-views. It's not until he branched out of fighting and looked into business opportunities, however, that he made serious revenue for himself.

Back in 2021, the Irish MMA star was named the highest-paid athlete in the world, collecting $180 million in the span of 12 months. Interestingly, the majority of McGregor's earnings that year came when he sold his majority stake in Proper No.12 Irish Whiskey to Proximo Spirits for $150 million.

McGregor earned a total $158 million outside the octagon that year, making him just the third athlete after Roger Federer and Tiger Woods to bag over $70 million off the field.