Content Warning: This story includes descriptions of sexual assault.
Nikita Hand has revealed that she continues to suffer from nightmares following her sexual assault by UFC fighter Conor McGregor. In her first televised interview since an Irish civil jury determined that McGregor assaulted her in a Dublin hotel in 2018, Hand spoke on Ireland’s “Prime Time” program on Wednesday about the lasting trauma and the civil court proceedings.
“I’m working on myself, learning how to live with this, and trying to be the best mother I can be, but it will never fully go away,” Hand shared with interviewer Miriam O’Callaghan. “Sometimes I wake up screaming. Thankfully, my partner Gary is there to calm me down, but it’s still incredibly difficult.”
Hand became emotional when describing her feelings during the assault, pausing briefly to compose herself. “At first, I felt really uncomfortable. Then when he became aggressive and I fought back, I felt angry. But when he choked me the third time, I lost a part of myself—a part that’s still missing. I basically dissociated from my own body, like looking down on myself as it happened,” she recounted.
In November 2024, Hand was awarded nearly €250,000 in damages after the jury ruled in her favor. In July 2025, a three-judge panel unanimously dismissed McGregor’s appeal, and later that year, Ireland’s Supreme Court declined to hear any further appeals, effectively ending his legal challenge.
McGregor has consistently denied all accusations and maintains his innocence. Hand’s decision to pursue a civil case came after Ireland’s Director of Public Prosecutions chose not to prosecute McGregor in 2020, a decision that shocked her given her full cooperation throughout the investigation.
“I was in complete shock,” Hand said. “I thought since I told the truth and did everything right—giving my statement, attending the Sexual Assault Treatment Unit, handing over my phone, submitting swabs—they would move forward. Instead, they didn’t, and that devastated me. My mental health suffered drastically. I started drinking heavily to numb the pain and struggled with sleepless nights. That was one of the darkest times of my life.”
Hand described having a panic attack upon seeing McGregor in court on the first day of the trial and admitted she found the process extremely challenging, even contemplating giving up at times. When the verdict was announced in her favor, she was overwhelmed: “I didn’t fully understand what was happening. I was shaking uncontrollably and couldn’t hear anything. I had to ask Cliona from the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, ‘What’s going on?’ She said, ‘Nikita, you won, they believed you.’ I couldn’t believe it. People were hugging me and congratulating me. I was happy, but still deeply traumatized by the whole experience.”
Though she acknowledges McGregor’s public status, Hand shared how painful it was to watch him being welcomed at the White House and featured on U.S. talk shows prior to his planned UFC 329 fight in July.
“It’s very hard knowing he was still given such a big platform despite the vicious attack he committed against me,” she said. “It’s really difficult to cope with that. I have to completely disconnect, avoid social media, and stay away from places where I might see his name in the news. Being a famous person, there’s no way for me to escape it.”
Hand also addressed the stigma victims often face: “I’m not a perfect victim, nor did I claim to be. But when a woman is raped and isn’t ‘perfect,’ she often gets blamed. I want other victims to know that regardless of what you’re wearing, how much you drank, or if you took drugs that night—no means no, and consent must be respected. I hope my story encourages others to come forward and seek justice.”
Fan Take: This case underscores the importance of accountability in and around combat sports, reminding fans that athletes’ actions outside the octagon profoundly impact the sport’s integrity. It serves as a critical moment for the UFC and the fighting community to prioritize ethics and respect, ensuring that fighters uphold standards both in competition and personal conduct.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
