Conor McGregor has paid compensation to Artem Lobov for his contribution to creating Proper Twelve whiskey. Lobov had previously filed a lawsuit demanding payment for his help in developing the brand. Media reports indicated McGregor earned over $100 million from selling his shares in the whiskey company. Both Lobov and McGregor have declined to disclose the exact amount of compensation paid. Lobov had previously claimed he was the one who originally conceived the entire whiskey concept.
Conor McGregor has paid an undisclosed sum in compensation to Artem Lobov to settle a dispute over Lobov's role in the creation of Proper Twelve Irish whiskey, resolving a lawsuit that had pitted two longtime teammates against each other.
McGregor, 37, is one of the most recognizable figures in combat sports history. The Dublin-born southpaw carries a professional MMA record of 22-6-0 and built his fighting career out of SBG Ireland before launching Proper Twelve whiskey as a commercial venture. Reports have indicated he earned in excess of $100 million from the eventual sale of his stake in the brand, a figure that formed the backdrop to the legal dispute.
Lobov, 39, is a fellow SBG Ireland product and a long-standing member of McGregor's inner circle. The Russian-born, Ireland-based fighter holds a professional record of 13-15-1 and competed as a featherweight during his UFC tenure. He publicly claimed to have been the original architect of the entire whiskey concept and filed a lawsuit seeking financial recognition for that contribution. Both men have declined to reveal the terms reached, leaving the precise compensation figure private.
Why it matters
- The settlement closes a legal chapter that had created public tension between two fighters from the same gym and management structure.
- Lobov's claim that he conceived the Proper Twelve brand raises broader questions about intellectual credit in athlete-driven business ventures.
- McGregor's reported nine-figure windfall from the whiskey sale underscores how significantly commercial enterprise has come to define his profile outside the cage.
