UFC star Conor McGregor pleads guilty to New York bus attack
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Mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor has pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct as part of a deal with New York prosecutors to resolve charges over an April melee at the Barclays Centre arena.
McGregor, dressed in a dark navy suit, was stone-faced throughout the court proceeding in Brooklyn.
He will avoid prison as a result of his agreement, which calls for him to serve five days of community service, attend an anger management program and pay for the damages he caused.
Outside the courthouse, McGregor thanked prosecutors and the judge for letting him "move forward".
"I'd like to say to my friends, my family and my fans: Thank you for your support," he said. A small crowd of fans cheered as he headed for his car.
The 30-year-old Irish star had been charged with assault, criminal mischief and other crimes for his role in the brawl.
He pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct, a violation, which will not result in a criminal record.
The plea will have no affect on his immigration status or his ability to fight, according to his defence lawyer, Bruce Maffeo.
Video footage of the incident appeared to show McGregor and his entourage in an underground parking area smashing windows on a bus filled with Ultimate Fighting Championship fighters who were at the arena to publicise an upcoming UFC event.
Cian Cowley, another Irish fighter charged in the incident, also pleaded guilty.
The UFC, the sport's premier organising body, said one fighter was hit by a trolley thrown through a window, while another suffered a cut to his eye after the glass shattered.
At the time of the melee, McGregor was angry that the UFC had stripped him of the lightweight title, according to profanity-laced messages he posted on Twitter.
The UFC took away the title after McGregor decided not to defend it in favour of taking a highly lucrative boxing match against the undefeated Floyd Mayweather.
Mayweather's pay-per-view victory garnered more than $813.2 million in revenues, making it the second-biggest bout of all time.
McGregor's plea bargain paves his way back to the UFC octagon where, after some underwhelming pay-per-view cards, promoters will be eager to see their biggest star return.
His next fight could pit him against either lightweight champ Khabib Nurmagomedov, Canadian great Georges St Pierre or Californian Nate Diaz, who remains the only man to have beaten McGregor in the octagon.
Reuters
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