UFC fighter Conor McGregor facing civil lawsuit over cellphone incident

MIAMI (UPI) — UFC star Conor McGregor is facing a civil lawsuit after being charged with two felonies in South Florida on Monday.

In Miami-Dade County court records obtained by the Miami Herald and TMZ Sports, 22-year-old Ahmed Abdirzak filed a lawsuit seeking more than $15,000 on Thursday, accusing the mixed martial artist of “battery, assault and intentional infliction of emotional distress.”

Miami Beach police arrested McGregor, 30, Monday on charges of strong-armed robbery and criminal mischief. He was booked briefly into a Miami-Dade jail Monday night. He posted bond, and now awaits his trial April 10, according to the Miami Herald.

The lawsuit said McGregor was exiting the Fontainebleau Miami Beach hotel when Abdirzak recognized the fighter while the two were outside. Abdirzak pulled out his cellphone and attempted to take a picture of McGregor. The fighter walked up to him, reached out his left hand as if to give him a handshake and then “punched” the phone out of Abdirzak’s hand, according to the lawsuit.

The phone fell to the ground and McGregor began to stomp on it. McGregor then picked up the phone and put it into his pocket before walking to a waiting vehicle. Abdirzak demanded his cellphone back, leading McGregor to laugh and yell “[expletive] you” while the car drove off, according to the suit.

Abdirzak is a British citizen and father of one child who resides in London, according to the Miami Herald. He was on a 10-day vacation in Miami with friends.

Monday’s altercation was the latest incident for McGregor. The MMA fighter attacked a bus that carried UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and other fighters last April. He threw a dolly through a window of the bus, causing several injuries.

McGregor was arrested for the incident and initially charged with two felonies, but ended up pleading guilty to a single disorderly conduct charge last July. He finished a court-mandated five days of community service and three days of anger management courses to complete the terms of the plea deal.

McGregor last fought at UFC 229 on Oct. 6, 2018, against Nurmagomedov. The Irish fighter has been in South Florida on vacation while celebrating his mother’s 60th birthday.

Reporting by Connor Grott

United Press International

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