‘I was Trapped’: Conor McGregor Says Whiskey Business Led to Too Much Drinking

Mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor and partner Dee Devlin leave the High Court in Dublin after the personal injury case against him on Nov. 22, 2024. (Press Association via AP Images)

Conor McGregor says launching his whiskey business changed his relationship with alcohol, admitting the venture led him to drink far more than he had as an active UFC champion.

Speaking during UFC 329 media day ahead of his long-awaited return to the Octagon, McGregor reflected on how promoting his former Irish whiskey brand, Proper No. 12, became an unexpected turning point.

“I launched an Irish whiskey,” McGregor said, according to SB Nation. “I didn’t drink heavily, if at all, in that time of my life. I was an athlete at the top of my game.”

According to McGregor, that changed as he became the face of the brand.

“Next thing you know, there’s thousands upon thousands of bottles in my garage. ‘Sell this, Conor.’ ‘Okay.’ I’d leave my property with two bottles under my arm, and that was it. I was caught.”

The former two-division UFC champion said he wasn’t prepared for how closely his personal life would become tied to promoting the whiskey.

“I wasn’t used to it,” McGregor said. “God gave me these lessons. That’s it. I was trapped and caught, and it is what it is.”

McGregor sold a majority stake in Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey in 2021 in a deal reportedly worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Since then, he has launched the Forged Irish Stout beer brand and remained active in several business ventures outside mixed martial arts.

The 38-year-old is set to fight Max Holloway at UFC 329, marking his first appearance in the Octagon in five years following a lengthy absence caused by injury and other setbacks.

McGregor acknowledged that questions remain about whether he can return to championship form after years away from competition and a series of off-the-cage controversies.

“There’s nothing better than proving people wrong,” he said. “Some are valid. There’s some questions. Time out, injury, lifestyle. I know… We’re gonna go inside that night and shut them all up again.”

During the media session, McGregor also addressed the civil case brought by Nikita Hand, in which a jury found him liable for sexual assault. McGregor denied the allegations and said he intends to continue fighting to clear his name.

“I’m an innocent man, and I’ll stand for my innocence until the day I go out,” he said.

For now, however, McGregor said his focus is on returning to competition and reconnecting with the fans who have supported him throughout his career.

“I’m back for the love of the game,” he said, “and I’m back for the love of the fans.”