Conor McGregor has cleared one major distraction off his path, and the timing could not be better as his long-awaited UFC return edges closer. The former two-division champion is now fully focused on his comeback after settling a legal dispute with former teammate Artem Lobov.
McGregor has not fought since 2021, when he suffered a broken leg in his trilogy bout against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264. Since then, he has stayed active in business and public life, but his attention is now firmly back on fighting.
The legal battle between Conor McGregor and Artem Lobov has officially ended after both sides reached a settlement ahead of trial.
Lobov, once a close teammate of McGregor, filed the lawsuit claiming he was entitled to a 5% share of the Proper No. 12 Irish whiskey sale. He alleged a verbal agreement existed and argued he played a key role in developing the brand.
McGregor denied those claims, maintaining that no formal agreement was ever made. The case was set to run in the High Court for eight days, but Lobov’s attorney, Andrew Walker, confirmed that both parties had reached a settlement and the trial was no longer necessary.
Terms of the agreement were not disclosed in court.
McGregor’s legal team read a statement to the court through attorney Mark Lyman, confirming that the Irish star is now shifting focus back to training.
“I want to thank him for his hard work for my whiskey business,” Conor McGregor said in his statement.
The comment referenced Lobov’s involvement during the early stages of Proper No. 12, which later sold for a reported $600 million to Proximo Spirits.
McGregor personally earned more than $100 million from the deal, according to reports.
McGregor and Lobov once shared a close bond as teammates and training partners in Ireland, rising together during McGregor’s early UFC run.
Their relationship eventually fractured after Lobov claimed he was “muscled out” of the whiskey business following its commercial success.
McGregor, meanwhile, remained the public face of the brand before eventually parting ways with Proximo Spirits after a separate legal ruling in Ireland involving an unrelated civil case.
After the settlement, Lobov reportedly declined to issue a formal statement but told reporters he was “happy with the resolution.”
With the lawsuit now resolved, Conor McGregor shifts his full focus back to competition as he prepares for his UFC comeback.
He has not competed in over five years, but reports suggest he is targeting a return during International Fight Week in July, potentially headlining a major UFC event in Las Vegas.
Max Holloway remains one of the frontrunners linked to a possible comeback fight.
McGregor’s return now stands as one of the biggest storylines in MMA, and with legal distractions behind him, all eyes move back to what he does best, fighting inside the Octagon.
