UFC star Conor McGregor is being sued by a man who alleges he suffered injuries during a UFC press conference last year in Las Vegas. The man claims he was hit in the back by a can of a Monster Energy that McGregor threw during the UFC 202 pre-fight press conference in August 2016. At this conference, McGregor and Nate Diaz got into a fight that involved objects being thrown all around the MGM Grand’s David Copperfield Theater. During the fight, McGregor started throwing water bottles and one energy drink can toward Diaz and his team. After this incident, McGregor was fined $25,000 and given 25 hours of community service by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Diaz was fined $15,000 and given 15 hours of community service for his role in the fight.
The man who filed the law suit, William Pegg, is a security guard claiming the can struck him in the back of his head, near his left shoulder. Pegg alleges he incurred medical expenses around $5,000 after he required treatment for his injuries. He is now seeking damages for his injuries in the amount of $95,000. According to Pegg, McGregor was significantly hit 166 times during his fight with Diaz, and Pegg is therefore claiming 166th of McGregor’s $15 million fight payout — which is roughly $90,000 — to go with his medical expenses.
The lawsuit was filed in March, and McGregor’s legal team responded denying liability. McGregor ended up beating Diaz in the UFC 202 by a majority decision, and has become a bigger UFC star since. Last month, McGregor fought Floyd Mayweather in a boxing match. Even though McGregor lost, he has said he expects to make around $100 million for that fight.