American rapper Azealia Banks accused UFC star Conor McGregor of sending her unsolicited nude photos via Instagram DMs, escalating his already controversial public image. On July 14, 2025, coinciding with McGregor’s 37th birthday, Banks posted screenshots on X, alleging that McGregor sent her explicit images, including two full-frontal mirror selfies, one captioned “Lifting weights” and another with a threatening message: “Don’t be a rat cos all rats get caught.” Banks responded publicly, writing, “How you gonna send a bch some crooked dk pics then threaten her not to tell. @TheNotoriousMMA nia do you know who the fk I am? This is HARAM,” using the Islamic term for something forbidden to emphasize her outrage. She further mocked McGregor’s appearance and his presidential aspirations in Ireland, stating, “Honey… ain’t u trying to be the president of Ireland what is it giving fam? Use some f sunscreen damn.”
The posts went viral, with Banks later sharing a screenshot indicating McGregor deleted the images from their chat, writing, “The motherf* woke up early LOL.” This incident follows recent photos of McGregor kissing a woman who was not his fiancée, Dee Devlin, on a Florida beach, fueling cheating rumors. Despite the controversy, Devlin publicly supported McGregor on his birthday, posting photos of them together on Instagram, suggesting a united front. McGregor has not publicly responded to Banks’ allegations, and his camp has remained silent.
This adds to McGregor’s history of scandals, including a 2024 civil case in Ireland where he was found liable for sexually assaulting Nikita Hand, ordered to pay $257,000 in damages, and an ongoing U.S. civil lawsuit for an alleged 2023 assault. Social media reactions range from shock and mockery to calls for legal action, with some users referencing the UK’s Online Safety Act 2023 for potential violations. Banks’ decision to share the images led to her withdrawal from the Boomtown Festival lineup. The MMA community and fans expressed dismay, with some attributing McGregor’s behavior to substance abuse or personal decline, while others debated the impact on his potential Irish presidential candidacy.
The allegations remain unconfirmed beyond Banks’ posts, and no legal action has been reported by Banks as of now. This situation continues to unfold amidst McGregor’s absence from the UFC octagon since 2021 and his controversial public persona.