Ireland’s High Court has ordered Conor McGregor to disclose his actual sales figures for his Proper No. 12 Whiskey. The order notably stems from his ongoing legal battle with former partner Artem Lobov. During International Fight Week in late June, McGregor returns for a welterweight headlining act at UFC 303. Will the court ruling affect his return?
This comes on the heels of longtime rival Khabib Nurmagomedov facing Federal Tax Service ducking allegations to the tune of $3.3 million (or just over 300 million rubles). MMA fighters often find themselves amidst financial irregularities. However, McGregor’s case marks a string of events that could jeopardize his return. Last month, he had to head back to court for a pending hearing of a woman’s civil damages claim.
The case with Proper No. 12 whiskey isn’t a new one. Lobov had taken legal action against Conor McGregor, claiming he was assured a 5% share from the celebrity brand deal. With McGregor’s Proper No. Twelve Irish Apple touting massive gains, Lobov claimed he didn’t get any proceeds for the $600 million-worth brand. ‘The Notorious’ allegedly proposed a $1 million payment instead.
Now, The Irish Sun reports that the deputy master of the Dublin High Court, John Glennon, had issued a directive to McGregor to reveal his earnings by Friday, May 10th. Under the successful ruling, Lobov could potentially receive 5% of the reported $600 million windfall. McGregor thus stands to face a €20M loss on the matter. Middleeasy.com brought the matter to attention.
Conor McGregor’s stakes in Proper No. 12 Irish Whiskey: What does he stand to lose?
UFC sensation and one of the richest sports stars, Conor McGregor, has been in a prolonged battle over his celebrity whiskey brand. He is clashing on two cases, yet another being a defamation suit against his sparring partner, Artem Lobov. Lobov, who has a Master’s degree in business, claims he came up with the idea for the brand, which McGregor disagrees.
Consequently, the Irishman and his two partners, his manager Audie Attar and Ken Austin, sold their majority stake in Proper No. Twelve businesses to US company Proximo Sport in 2021. Both sides told Spirits Trade publication the slated worth of the deal to be $600 million. Concurrently, Artem Lobov has doubled down on a promise of a 5% share of claiming stakes on Proper No. 12 whiskey.
Lobov also has a second defamation case going after McGregor brazenly branded him a “rat” on his X account. McGregor had till the end of the week to report his earnings to the Dublin High Court. Should Lobov win, his brand stands to lose a sum of €20M on brand marketing grounds.
However, along the lines of the Defamation Act 2009, McGregor can still incur a hefty sum in damages. Moreover, a Correction Order for terms could also affect the Irish fighter. If there’s an injunction or ban order, his celebrity brand can face millions more in loss until publication terms are set to Lobov’s standards. Eire Born Spirits LLC. who license access to the brand, might face their own storms.
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