The Clinch Podcast
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The Clinch Podcast
Episode 52 Conor McGregor Part 2: Cartel Conor
What do Conor McGregor and one of Ireland's most notorious crime syndicates have in common? Prepare to uncover speculation surrounding the UFC's notorious figure and his alleged ties to the Kinahan cartel. We explore the shadowy connections that link McGregor to this infamous underworld network, examining everything from childhood friendships to the controversial Regency Hotel incident.
As we examine McGregor’s career, we address the legal and brand challenges that have plagued him, leaving a trail of scandal. From his family's alleged cartel associations to the civil assault case, McGregor's world extends far beyond the octagon. We reflect on his declining career, the impact of his business ventures, and whether a comeback is still in the cards. Join me for a thought-provoking discussion on Conor McGregor's legacy and future in the sport, and share your perspective on what lies ahead for this polarizing figure.
Hi, what's up guys. Welcome back to the Clinch Podcast. I'm your host, shay, and I am so excited to jump into today's topic, and that is the notorious Conor McGregor. So this is part two of our deep dive into Conor McGregor, and let me tell you I went down another crazy rabbit hole this week. If you haven't heard part one yet, make sure you do go back and check it out, and you don't need to hear that episode to understand this one in any way. They can be enjoyed independently, but I just suggest following up, because following up with listening to that episode, just because it everything ties in together so crazy. So I just encourage it highly and, of course, I love to make episodes, so I hope you do go and listen. But before we start this episode, last week's episode was insane. We went through some really crazy UFC conspiracies that had me just questioning everything. I swear even if I wasn't the one hosting this show, I would have had to listen, just as an enjoyer of this show. I would have had to go back and listen and then listen again, probably so. And also, these are all episodes based on your recommendations, because we tend to all kind of have the same questions or at least some similar ones. So I am really enjoying the recommendation, so keep them coming.
Speaker 1:Hit me up on Twitter or Instagram. I'm on Twitter at Shaolin Shay. Instagram is Shay, my name, with two Y's and Shay. If you have any topics you'd like to hear about, I'm down. Name with two y's and shea. If you have any topics you'd like to hear about, I'm down. I'm down to add that into the schedule.
Speaker 1:So let's get into it. Today we're unraveling the chaotic, the controversial, just crazy world of connor mcgregor. So I just wanted to hop right into what I think might be one of the most insane and controversial topics in modern MMA history. Modern, I say, and that is the possible, alleged, probably untrue ties between Conor McGregor and the notorious Kennehan cartel. So, and if you don't know what or who the Kennehan cartel are, they're basically just an Irish drug cartel. So buckle up, because we're about to get into some crazy wild theories that would just change everything you knew about Conor or that you knew or maybe just didn't have some certain details of. So I'm so excited, let's go Now.
Speaker 1:It's not your typical MMA gossip. You know where you have. The UFC is kind of messy sometimes. It's kind of messy if you really pay attention. So it's not just like your typical gym messiness, you're, you're uh, I'm not even going to bring up any up, I really want to shine advice. Um, anyways, you know, just stuff like that. It's not that kind of he said, she said.
Speaker 1:What we're going to be talking about today goes way beyond the cage and it's just deep into a world of crime, conspiracies and some of the most dangerous figures in international organized organized crime. So if you've ever wondered just how far Connor's connections go, I'm here to tell you. This is what you have come to listen to me for, so let's go. I want to start with just that kind of wild shout out that went down a few years ago that initially piqued my interest on this topic, and that was, um, when Munir Lezez who, if you don't know, is a former UFC fighter who was from Tunisia he mentioned Daniel Kinahan during his post fight in Octagon interview. So that was just something that I had no idea who this Daniel person was until I saw people on Twitter like oh, he did this and this guy is this, and I'm like whoa, why? Like, why is this happening? And someone on reddit, when I was doing a deeper dive, said connor is de facto in the kinahan cartel, most of the guys he grew up with are in it and his sister is marrying into the cartel high-ranking lieutenant. I'm like, whoa, that is kind of that's uh. I I don't want to use derogatory language on uh for the show anymore, so I don't know how to say ballsy Like that's quite ballsy to say. I feel like, um, it's a pretty strong accusation. That's what this is what I'm thinking like in the moment.
Speaker 1:Obviously, now that I've dug deeper, I'm like oh, this isn't just some Reddit kid, you know. So let's, let's talk about what I found when we dug deeper. If you're not familiar again, daniel Kinahan is the alleged leader of the Kinahan cartel and he has been said to be one of the most powerful and dangerous crime syndicates in Europe. And I just I guess you know I'm I'm American. If you're listening anywhere outside of America, hi, that's awesome, hello, love that you're listening. But, um, I don't know a lot about European crimesters. So I'm like kind of just taking this information at face value, value so. And also I was just thinking like, let's be honest, connor, value so. And also I was just thinking like, let's be honest, connor.
Speaker 1:Connor's name has been linked to the kinahans and his associates for for a long time, from, from what I saw, and it's all over the rumor mill and all of that which take that with a grain of salt. But there are a lot of weird connections that just raise my eyebrows. So I want to go through those. First we have Connor's childhood friends, jonathan and Andrew Murray.
Speaker 1:So there's a picture that circulated all around the social sphere of Connor with these two guys right before the Dolly incident. That, sorry, I snapped that. Those men were Jonathan and Andrew Murray and you all remember the infamous Dolly incident at the fight. You know when he threw the fighter at the fighter at the fight. You know when he threw the fighter at the fighter when he threw the dolly at the fighter bus. So, aside from just the picture, go and google it. It's just a weird picture considering what happened right after. But beyond that those two guys have a pretty shady, shady past. Going on, I would say they have both served time sorry, my dog is playing both have served time for, really I would say, serious charges, like you know drug charges, armed robbery, uh, there were even some violent ones and, and guess what, they are also suspected of being closely tied to the Kinahan cartel. There was a whole situation where there was like a whole bunch of raids and it was connected to both of them. It was very weird, very weird, and they're just not the kind of people you want to be associated with, especially if you're connor, who at that time was just, you know, at the top of stardom. So, yeah, uh, just those, those are shady guys.
Speaker 1:And then another weird tie is, uh, to mtk global, and I don't think he was directly represented by them, but I do want to go into the connection I did find. And so of course it's a sports management agency. It initially started as a gym. It was founded by Daniel Kinahan and a former boxer, matthew Macklin, who I hadn't heard of prior to my research for this, but it just gets really interesting when you think about the two of them coming up with this kind of business together. So that company grew quickly and it became associated with some people that I'd heard of before, like Tyson Fury, billy Joe Saunders and Darren Till, which that kind of surprised me. But they, like I said, they never directly represented Connor, but it is just interesting that I have seen the company in my researches be called a money laundering scheme.
Speaker 1:You know, probably not true, uh, and you know, I just have to say that, uh with and there's a similar kind of situation with one of Connor's bars in Dublin. So, who knows, it could or could not, could not be true. I know that MTK Global was dissolved, I believe, a few years ago, because of the association to Daniel Kinahan. So yeah, that's another pretty interesting. I mean, if you're those guys and you have those connections to just any kind of professional combat, sport like that would be a pretty blatant way to launder money, I feel like. But I don't know, who knows, I'm not, I'm not a cartel member, uh, but we, we just don't know if this is true. Any of this is actually true. Sorry, one moment, sorry.
Speaker 1:Once I start putting these episodes up on YouTube, I'm so I don't want you guys to feel like I don't care about the quality, um, quality, it's just that I love to keep the environment of this podcast very conversational, as if we were all just be talking about this stuff, and this is what you would get if we were talking about this stuff. So enjoy I. It'll be so much more fun when we've got those YouTube episodes coming up. So I'm very excited. But anyways, let's get back to it. We, we just kind of don't want to assume anything in this situation. You know, take everything with a grain of salt, especially with accusations this big. But cartels do have to launder their money, so these just seem like fitting companies to use for those reasons. So take that however you want to, because this next one is going to be really crazy.
Speaker 1:I was, as the kids say, shook. Uh, no, I I don't say shook, but this next part really is crazy, and this is the Regency Hotel shooting. It's just straight up crazy. It's insane. The event took place, I believe, in February 2016. I believe in, yeah, february 2016. And it was at a weigh-in ceremony that was being hosted at this hotel. And the Kenahan cartel just kind of got into like this whole shootout with this other rival gang called the Hutch gang, and the Hutch gang was basically retaliating. They pulled up to Regency Hotel and they were basically retaliating after the Kinnehans broke an agreement by executing a Hutch family member after the Kinnehans believed he was responsible for a shipment seizure. Kinnehans believed he was responsible for a shipment seizure.
Speaker 1:They initially agreed to just put a bullet in a hutch and required a large sum of money, but the hutch boy would remain unharmed. Isn't that crazy? Like that is so insane to me. Like, okay, so we think you snitched, but we're not sure. But because we're Irish, I'm going to put a bullet in your cousin. You can stay alive though, but your, your cousin, got to get a bullet in the leg. I'm sorry. And you're like, okay, fine. And there, and then the kid hands are like but wait, wait, wait, there's more. We also want money, we want you to pay a fine and like all this other crazy stuff. And they're like the Hutchins, like, okay, fine, and then, six months later, they end up killing the guy that they stopped they thought snitched anyways. That is just crazy. It's so crazy to me, um, crazy to me, um, wow.
Speaker 1:And there's actually a video of this road Regency hotel incident, and I believe it's yeah, it's on YouTube and it is just crazy. There's a fighter on stage I forgot who it was. I might've been um, jamie Cavanaugh, but cause he, I believe, was the main event for that event, so he was like weighing in and then, all of a sudden, shots fired people running. It was just weird. It was just weird. I don't recommend doing that. Um and oh, and one of the shooters even dressed like a woman. Like a woman. Yeah it, I, it's crazy, it's, it was crazy. You just have to watch it. I, I didn't see anyone get shot. I probably, I probably wouldn't even mention the video if there was anything like that, just because I don't know. That's we. We all have morals and my lines are right there.
Speaker 1:But one of the men who died was actually a man named David Byrne who, believe it or not, was a childhood friend of Conor McGregor from Crumlin Boxing Club and, of course, like I mentioned earlier, jamie Cavanaugh was there and his dad and uncle were rumored to be heavily involved with the Canahan cartel as well. But sadly, or maybe not sadly, I don't know. I don't know who these men are, I don't know if they're like Robin Hoods or what, but, uh, they passed away, either sadly or happily passed away, I'm not sure. May all souls rest in peace.
Speaker 1:Um, but another crazy person that I came about in this research was Mr Graham Whalen, and he was Mr Graham Whelan, and he, of course, is another alleged associate of the Kinahan cartel and he's someone that Connor, of course, is often seen doing what? What does Connor do all the time? What is he always doing Partying, right? Yeah, so all those pictures that you see all over Connor or with Connor you probably might see Graham Whelan in some of them, and Connor's sister I believe her name is pronounced Aoife is also rumored to be dating this Mr Graham Whelan. There's a picture of them sitting together at some event.
Speaker 1:So crazy. But yeah, isn't that nuts? Like Connor's own sister may be involved with a high ranking cartel member His own sissy, his own sissy Crazy, but that basically just adds another layer of what is going on to this whole weird connection situation. So I know, all of this just sounds super crazy, but, like I didn't make it up, this is all stuff that I saw online. Like this, it's crazy to me as it is to you. So I, we're really deep in this rabbit hole together, guys.
Speaker 1:Um, what I also wanted to include, though, is what does this mean for Conor? Like, what is, what is the relevancy to all of these connections, and are they just random, unsubstantiated rumors, or is there really a dark side to Conor McGregor? We've never really fully understood, or I've never really fully understood. Maybe you guys are like this is old news, you know, and if that's you like, sorry, I'm sorry that I'm your internet explorer. Very sorry, but I just think that there's no clear answer, but it's. It's hard to ignore the pattern of connections between Connor and the Canaan cartel and just the people in his whole inner circle. So I'll take a breath with you on that one. Maybe take a sip of water.
Speaker 1:So, now that we've caught our breath, we're going to take a closer look at Connor's most recent legal and brand troubles. You know how they've affected his public image, his business ventures and his, his standing with the Irish people. Oh, so sad. Connor has been through, of course, a lot of ups and downs, as has been seen by everyone. You know all of that. But the last couple of years have really seen him be involved in some crazy controversies in and out of the courtroom, just anywhere. Any kind of facet of life connor's striking out, except money dude has all the money in the world, you know.
Speaker 1:But the the story I want to address, of course, is involving the woman Nikita Hand. Connor was found liable for accusations made by her, which led to him being ordered to pay a couple hundred euros, which equals to a couple hundred thousand, I'm sorry, a couple hundred thousand euros, which ends up being a couple hundred thousand dollars. Um, and now just to clarify, because I saw a lot of clarifications needed to be made he wasn't criminally charged in this case which I think he should be case, which I think he should be but the civil trial jury did find him at fault in this case, and it is super easy to get lost in all the details. But let's just be so real. Right now we all get the gist of what was going on there. It wasn't just a gold digger trying to get money that was offered to her and declined by her a long time ago, a few years ago, you know. So, according to her, uh, miss hand, two masked men armed with knives entered her home while her child was asleep and intimidated her in some way. In some way, shape or form, they were intimidating with her. So I mean, who knows if this is connected to Connor or not, you know, but with everything going on around him lately, it's just hard to avoid drawing some kind of connection. Whether it's related or not, it does just add to that like chaotic, very troubling narrative that just follows him everywhere, just everywhere he goes. But that's not, that's not even it.
Speaker 1:There there are some really serious repercussions that he's suffered on the business side of things too and, of course, one that a lot of people have seen is the proper number 12 whiskey, the brand connor helped launch back in 2018. That was like his brand. He founded it and and I'm not sure if most of you know or not, but he sold all of his shares in the company in 2021, which, like selling all of your shares, is kind of crazy to me. So I don't know why he did it. If he needed money, like a lot of it, you know, but anyways, um, what's also hitting the media really hard right now is that they they dropped him completely as the face of the brand just shortly after the case wrapped up. I believe it was like case wrapped up, boom bye, and now he's just completely detached from it. You know people are wondering the same thing, I, the same thing I am, and that is like why the sudden change? You know well, like, selling his shares is one thing, but the fact that they dropped him as their spokesperson, too, it just makes me wonder. Like if his personal issues, of course, were part of the equation and obviously the court was, but like it looks like it was something that they wanted to do for a long time. So like maybe he's just really difficult to work with and they're like first sign of you know, bad press. You're out, you know, that's how I feel it went down.
Speaker 1:And this goes deeper. Um, it's been affecting his image in video games as well. I hadn't, I don't really play video games. I have nothing against them. I just don't have a console, you know. So I don't play. The most I know is when I go over to, um, my family's house and my brother's playing, and he'll tell me but I don't know what the game Hitman is, but apparently he was a character on it. And, um, you know I'm a girl, okay, so I know some of you, if you're a dude, you're probably like rolling your eyes and like that's fine, like I don't care, I don't know what hitman is, I don't know, you know.
Speaker 1:But anyways, they decided to cut ties with him as well and in their statement they said that after some reflection, they felt it was best to part ways. You know how they do and it's just clear that, with everything going on, his public persona has just affected his ability to secure partnerships and it'll continue to be difficult partnerships and it'll continue to be difficult Even stores that just used to carry Connor's like branded merchandise have also been pulled off shelves. You know so, it's down to that minute level, you know. So when you take a step back and look at the bigger picture here it's easy to see how Connor's image has just taken a huge hit in ireland, where connor was once hailed as a national hero and the pride of the country. It's just not like that anymore. They don't feel that way. They kind of look at him as a, as a disgrace, it seems like. And you know he is still a superstar, you know regardless. You know, but not a well-received one, I guess. Um, especially in Ireland, like people, there's videos of people just like sneering at the mention of his name. It's super sad.
Speaker 1:But what is next for conor mcgregor? I just thought of the, that steel lady, who who goes. What does joe rogan want? That's how I felt saying that. So what's next for conor mcgregor? That'd be so funny, does he? What do you guys think? Does he bounce back or does he just kind of continue crumbling his entire empire just completely imploding, just one piece at a time? It's it's. It's hard to say, it's hard to say. I'm an optimistic person, but I don't like Conor, so I don't know if that applies here. I believe there that you can change as long as there's still air in your lungs, you know. But he definitely has his hands full and in and out of the UFC and he just he can't fight his way out of all these situations at one time and be successful in every facet of his life. He just gotta let the act go somewhere.
Speaker 1:But I personally would say the era of Conor we all have come to know is over. I'm not just talking about like the usual he's done kind of talk. You know, when you really look at where he stands now on paper in the cage and in the eyes of us as fans I'm not his fan, but if you're his fan I'm talking about you it's just hard to kind of deny that the connor we all knew and loved has shifted into just something totally different. Now, before any of you get upset, any of you connor stragglers, let me just say I recognize that connor was, without a doubt, one of the best to ever do it at his peak, entertaining, talented, sleek style. And I'm not talking about like clothes, I'm talking about like technique, just amazing and of course, like becoming the first fighter in the UFC history to hold two belts simultaneously is legendary, absolutely legendary.
Speaker 1:But you know, when you fast forward to today, the Conor that we knew is not there and hasn't been for a long time. So I want to talk about where he is now. Want to talk about where he is now and if you, if you look up Conor's current record, you will get a criminal record to go with his fight record. You know you'll have to differentiate and let's not forget that the man hasn't fought since 2021. That's a long time, over three years, with no K-Shon, and I think his last notable streak of victories hasn't been since like 2014, 2015. And it's been nearly like a decade since we've seen him in his prime and the reality is he just hasn't had, in my opinion and my opinion, a significant win since Eddie Alvarez in 2016 and, honestly, aside from even that fight, like what has he done? You know the cowboy fight, as we talked about last week, and I've got some strong opinions on that one. So if you missed it, you definitely want to go back and listen. But and that's just my last episode, not the previous connor episode, so episode 51.
Speaker 1:But even then, like the seroni, one doesn't hold up when you break it down, like Cerrone himself was like just kind of past his prime too and it was just kind of like a let's get Conor a win kind of fight rather than like an actual meaningful comeback. I don't know, that's just how it came off to me, to each their own. And then like like of course, when it comes to the Nate Diaz fight, I'm not gonna pretend, I'm not biased, like I loved that legalized Diaz shirt I had, I I hate that it got ruined. Like I am so team, team Diaz, day one, you know. But even if I like set that aside for a second, which of course I try to um, the truth is that the second fight was kind of a reflection of the first one. I mean, it wasn't anything crazy to me and like the whole back and forth with Diaz, it was just like not a really a win for Connor in my eyes. Like he got the decision but it didn't really prove anything, it didn't erase his first loss and like I I personally think you know just from seeing Connor's face after Nate choked him out that. But Nick, when Nate hit that I told you you know it was just clear in Connor's face that something broke in him. It was just a canon event in his life and it really felt like the moment he started to lose grip on what made him so dangerous in the first place.
Speaker 1:From that point on I feel like things really started to unravel quickly and, of course, like connor's not looking like someone who is even ready to fight right now. He knows that. Everyone knows that he just has way too much going on outside the case, that he just has way too much going on outside the case, outside the ufc you know just cases, brand deals falling apart, all of that. And if you think about where he's at, it's gonna be a long road for him to get back to the fighter he once was. Even if he were to get back into fight camp soon, he'd have to make that, make a pretty significant life change just to even become the active, focused, condition legend he used to be.
Speaker 1:And honestly, at this point I'm not even sure I'm sad if we never saw him again. Like y'all know how I feel, I'm a hater, certified hater. I I wouldn't be sad if he never fought again and I just think his legacy as a fighter is pretty much written. It's been written and it's hard to just imagine him recapturing the essence of what he once was. So I don't know if he ever did decide to come back for real.
Speaker 1:For real, we all know he would still bring in crazy numbers, like that's just a fact and that's the thing about him. You know, he's one of those polarizing figures, like john, that, no matter what, like people are gonna tune in you mention his name and the eyes are centered and he, he wanted that. That's what he wanted, right? Like he always craved the spotlight and you know, you, like he didn't care whether you loved him or you hated him, as long as you paid him, you know. And he'll always be able to draw that kind of attention, you know.
Speaker 1:So here we are. Here we are, are guys climbing our way out of the rabbit hole because we're nearing the end. You know, just looking at the end of connor, the era of the notorious and at least the one we all have said, like spent the last decade or so watching I don't think that he'll ever be that great again and it's sad in a way, like not sad for me, you know, just sad objectively, because there's so much potential there, you know. But I think that we have seen enough to understand that, for whatever reason, it's just not going to happen right now, and we'll always remember the Connor that once was just one of those brilliant fighters that kind of just dwindled down, lost the spark. Finito Connor. I'm just kidding, but what do you guys think? Is it really over for Connor or do you think there's still a chance we see him back in the octagon, you know, just pulling off one last fight, one last fight? I don't know. I don't know. I truly do not know.
Speaker 1:Just hit me up on twitter again at shaolin shay, or instagram at shay. My name, that's shay, with two y's, and I'd really love to hear your thoughts on this episode. But it's going to wrap it up for me today. You guys, whether you love him, hate him or fall somewhere between, there's just no denying that Conor is just one of the wildest MMA figures that's ever lived. You know, it was just such a crazy ride up and such a crazy ride down, and his life and this episode, you know. So I'm so happy that you guys chose to listen. It means the world to me. Don't forget to rate the episode. Let me know if you liked it. Um, follow me on socials. I'm'm also on TikTok, same name as my Instagram name and share it with a friend, listen to it with a family member. Just help grow this community. Let me know what you guys want to hear and thank you so much for listening and, as always, always thanks for joining me in the clinch.
