Conor McGregor has resolved a legal dispute with former sparring partner Artem Lobov over the Proper No. Twelve whiskey business. Lobov had filed a lawsuit seeking a share of profits after McGregor sold his stake to Proximo Spirits in 2021 for over $130 million. The case was scheduled for Wednesday in Dublin's High Court but was settled before proceedings. McGregor's statement expressed satisfaction with the resolution and thanked Lobov for his contributions to the whiskey business, adding he can now focus on training and his upcoming summer fight. Lobov stated he was happy with the outcome. The financial terms of the settlement were not disclosed, and McGregor did not attend the court hearings.
Conor McGregor and Artem Lobov have settled a legal dispute over the Proper No. Twelve Irish whiskey brand, with the case closing before proceedings could begin at Dublin's High Court on Wednesday.
Lobov had sued McGregor seeking a share of the profits generated when McGregor sold his stake in Proper No. Twelve to Proximo Spirits in 2021 in a deal reported to be worth over $130 million. Lobov argued he was owed a portion of those earnings for his contributions to the business. The financial terms of the settlement were not disclosed, and McGregor did not attend the court hearings. Both men issued statements expressing satisfaction with the outcome, and McGregor, in his remarks, thanked Lobov for his role in building the whiskey brand while noting he can now direct his attention toward training and a scheduled summer fight.
McGregor, 37, is one of the most recognizable names in combat sports. The Dublin-born fighter holds a professional MMA record of 22 wins and 6 losses and competes out of SBG Ireland. A southpaw standing 175 centimeters tall with a 188-centimeter reach, he has posted a significant strike rate of 5.32 per minute across his career at 49 percent accuracy.
Lobov, also 39 years old and representing Ireland through SBG Ireland, trained alongside McGregor for much of his career. The Russian-born southpaw carries a professional record of 13 wins, 15 losses, and one draw, with a strike output of 3.52 significant strikes per minute at 41 percent accuracy. The two men share a long personal and professional history that made the whiskey dispute a notably high-profile courtroom matter.
Why it matters
- The settlement removes a legal distraction for McGregor ahead of his stated return to competition this summer.
- Lobov's claim highlighted broader questions about compensation structures for fighters who contribute to an athlete's commercial ventures.
- Both fighters training out of the same gym made the dispute unusually personal within the MMA community.
