Conor McGregor has publicly addressed the controversy over the alleged nude images of himself posted online and attempted to use the backlash to fuel his fledgling political career.
The former UFC champion has been at the centre of a public storm following the release of alleged nude photos of himself by rapper Azealia Banks, which she claimed the 37-year-old sent to her unprompted.
Banks, who is known for getting into high-profile feuds on social media, posted two shocking photos seemingly of McGregor posing in the mirror while completely naked, which she alleges he sent to her via direct message on X despite not following him.
As well as the alleged nude selfies, the screenshots also show a message from what appears to be McGregor’s account reading: ‘Don’t be a rat cos all rats get caught’. Alongside one image which seemingly shows his manhood strapped to a dumbbell, the Irish fighter apparently wrote: ‘Lifting weights’.
Banks’ accusations came after McGregor was caught packing on the PDA with a mystery bikini-clad woman on a Florida beach over the weekend.
But according to McGregor, who directly addressed the images on Wednesday, the frenzied social media reaction to his genitalia and broader discussions over his conduct are simply a smokescreen, aimed at distracting from the issues affecting his native Ireland.
Conor McGregor has publicly addressed the controversy over the alleged nude images of himself posted online
The former UFC champion has been at the centre of a public storm following the release of alleged nude photos of himself by rapper Azealia Banks
Banks’ accusations came after McGregor was caught packing on the PDA with a mystery bikini-clad woman on a Florida beach over the weekend
‘Don’t let them distract you with my G C while they rob our country blind,’ McGregor wrote in X, replying to a post that called out the media for focusing on the former fighter’s ‘sizeable package’ rather than ‘the facts he is spraying’.
The maddening deflection tactic comes as McGregor makes an unlikely bid to become the next president of Ireland. The former fighter announced his intentions in March but later admitted in an interview with conservative American commentator Tucker Carlson that his plan to run for office is unlikely to get off the ground.
During the sit-down, McGregor said there are ‘stipulations’ for running for presidential office, such as needing to be backed by four county councils or receiving 20 nominations from members of the Oireachtas, Ireland’s parliament.
And he warned that that Irish politicians will ‘tarnish’ his bid.
McGregor has received endorsements from misogynist influencer Andrew Tate and tech billionaire Elon Musk, and his anti-immigration stance has seen him welcomed with open arms by the US MAGA movement.
The 37-year-old is currently appealing the result of a civil case after a jury in Dublin found he had raped a woman, Nikita Hand, in 2018 and ordered him to pay damages.
In the midst of this legal controversy, he was invited to the White House by Trump for St Patrick’s Day – a move that was met with condemnation from Irish politicians and many members of the public. Just days later, he announced his wish to be president.
This week, McGregor was captured smooching a mystery brunette in full view of fellow beachgoers in Fort Lauderdale over the weekend.
The former fighter admitted in an interview with Tucker Carlson that his plan for the Irish presidency is unlikely
McGregor was invited to the White House by Trump for St Patrick’s Day – a move that was met with condemnation from Irish politicians
McGregor has been engaged to long-time partner Dee Devlin since August 2020, with the MMA star proposing while he celebrated his 32nd birthday in the south of France.
They have been together since 2008 and have four children in Conor Jr, 8, Croia Mairead, 6, Rian, 4, and Mack, 1.
In addition to appealing the verdict of the civil case which concluded he had raped a woman, McGregor is also facing a civil lawsuit for sexual battery in Florida following an alleged incident at a 2023 NBA Finals game in Miami, with a 49-year-old Miami-Dade County resident accusing him of sexually assaulting her in a bathroom.
He denied the allegations back in 2023, with his attorney Barbara Llanes insisting her client would ‘not be intimidated’, and he has faced no criminal charges for that either.
Just last month McGregor was also captured punching a man to the floor during a boozy party at an exclusive club in Ibiza, before he continued partying.
