Former bitter rival who almost fought Conor McGregor eight years ago sends surprisingly supportive message amid court case controversy

Conor McGregor’s would-be opponent from eight years ago recently offered unanticipated backing amid his legal turmoil. Last week, a jury in the Dublin high court found the former UFC two-division champion liable for sexually assaulting a woman in December 2018 and directed him to pay €248,000 (roughly $257,000) in damages to the complainant.

Since his testimony in court, 'The Notorious' has consistently claimed that he had sexual relations with the plaintiff at the Beacon Hotel in Sandyford, Dublin, on the specified date. However, the Irishman has maintained that the encounter was consensual and has vehemently denied the assault allegations.

On Monday, McGregor took to X to reflect on the court's verdict, expressing disappointment while steadfastly insisting that he had been unjustly convicted. He reaffirmed his determination to challenge the ruling.

Check out Conor McGregor's post below:

Former UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos recently responded to McGregor's statement and extended his backing to him. dos Anjos stated that although they had their share of disagreements in the past, he hopes 'The Notorious' can steer his life in a positive direction.

"I have my differences with this guy, but I hope he gets his life on track and starts making better choices."

Check out Rafael dos Anjos' post below:

McGregor and dos Anjos were scheduled for a highly anticipated title showdown at UFC 196 in March 2016, but the Brazilian was forced to withdraw after suffering a broken foot just weeks before the bout. As a result, McGregor ended up facing Nate Diaz and ultimately lost by second-round submission.

---

When Rafael dos Anjos opened up about why he never sought to rebook his fight with Conor McGregor

During an interview with Submission Radio in July, Rafael dos Anjos revealed that he never pursued a rebooking of his fight with Conor McGregor at the time and explained that he didn’t want to hold up the lightweight division by waiting for the bout:

"Back in the day, I held a belt. So, I shouldn't [say], 'Conor, I'm gonna stop, I'm gonna wait here. I'm not gonna fight anybody else. I'm gonna wait for Conor...' But, instead of doing that, I think I did the right thing: move forward. I end up fighting Eddie Alvarez. I don't regret about anything I've done. I think that the division's there, and I can't lock up the division. I think I did the right thing. Life went on."

Check out Rafael dos Anjos' comments below (6:14):

The Rio de Janeiro native lost his 155-pound title to Alvarez at a Fight Night event in July 2016, suffering a first-round knockout.