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Conor McGregor has admitted that he was "in the wrong" after he punched a man in a Dublin pub in April.

A video emerged appearing to show the fighter, 31, punch a 50-year-old man in the Marble Arch pub, with the man involved since labelling former UFC two-weight champion McGregor "a bully with money".

But in his first interview since the emergence of the video, the Dubliner has taken responsibility for the incident and vowed that he is trying to "do better".

"In reality, it doesn't matter what happened there. I was in the wrong," McGregor said in an interview with ESPN's Ariel Helwani.

(Image: @thenotoriousmma Instagram)

McGregor added: "That man deserved to enjoy his time in the pub without it having to end the way it did.

"Although, five months ago it was, and I tried to make amends and I made amends back then - it still, that doesn't even matter.

"I was in the wrong. I must come here before you and take accountability and take responsibility. I owe it to the people that have been supporting me. I owe it to my mother, my father, my family. I owe it to the people who trained me in martial arts.

"That's not who I am, that's not the reason why I got into martial arts or studying combat sports. The reason why I got into it was to defend against that type of scenario.

"To see that, although (it was) months ago and I have been making steps and continuously making steps to do better and be better - to see it is like a dagger into my heart as a young martial artist.

"I'm just here to own up to that and move on, carry on and face what's coming."

A video of the incident has gone viral - and the 50-year-old victim is happy that the fighter's reputation has took a hit over it.

The punter, speaking for the first time, revealed to The Irish Daily Star: "I am sitting on the bar stool just having a quiet punt with my friend then all of a sudden because I refuse his drink I get a punch, you don't need that in life."

The shocking video shows the Crumlin fighter holding a bottle of his own brand Proper No. Twelve whiskey at the Marble Arch bar in Drimnagh, Dublin.

He puts glasses down on the bar including one for the man. But the drinker lifts the glass away and sets it down on the counter.

McGregor stares at the man before setting another glass in front of him. But the man again moves it away and puts it on the counter.

The pubgoer explained: "I arrived in the pub, the Marble Arch, at approximately 12 o'clock, which I normally do on a Saturday to watch racing or football.

"I ordered a taxi at about 1.30pm. I rang the taxi man that was on my phone and he said he was going to be a bit late.

"He said he was going to be about 40 minutes and I said I would stay on.

"About half an hour later, I didn't even notice the man [McGregor] coming into the pub but seemingly he was throwing shots around.

"He approached me from the left hand side. I was ready to go. He said, 'will you have one of my whiskeys?

"I said 'no'. I don't like whiskey. I'm a Guinness man. I put the glass up on (the counter).

"He said 'no you will have it with me.' I said 'I don't want it'.

"I think I put it back up again. He obviously got aggravated that I had disrespected, and that's when he gave me the punch."

(Image: Digital First Media via Getty Im)

The punter confirmed that McGregor sat in his taxi when it arrived - but claimed the pair did not talk.

"My taxi arrived that I was after ordering. The taxi man came in and said to come outside.

"I put my jacket on and went outside with the taxi man, popped in the front and the next thing McGregor and his friend, I don't who he was I had never seen the chap before, hopped into the back of it.

"I thought he was cheeky. His friend was just talking to the taxi man. I didn't talk to McGregor."

The man said the punch left its mark for a week with McGregor reportedly set to be charged for the incident.

(Image: @TheNotoriousMMA Instagram)

And the punter admitted that he had no time for the Crumlin megastar.

"Look it, I can take a punch," he said."It was sore for about a week. It wasn't killing me or anything.

"I just don't want to make sure he doesn't do that to anyone else again, just taking him down a peg.

He added: "I don't like the man.

"I think he is getting a bad rep.

"He is a bit of a bully. A bully with money."

(Image: @TheNotoriousMMA Instagram)

A pal of the punter previously told the Irish Sunday Mirror: “He was sitting having a few pints and minding his own business. He normally goes to the pub to watch the football and have a few drinks.

“He was sitting having his pint when McGregor came in and offered everyone a drink of his whiskey.

“A few had it but he doesn’t drink shorts at all so he said he didn’t want it.

“However, Conor insisted that he take it and when he refused a second time McGregor wasn’t impressed.

“Next thing he punched him in the side of the face. He didn’t feel the pain of it at the time but the next day he was in bits. It was a proper hard hit.

“His face was very sore and he definitely knew he had been punched. He was very shook by the whole thing and didn’t leave his house for days.

“At the end of the day he doesn’t want an apology or any money, he just wants justice for what happened to him.

“He wouldn’t have been a fan of McGregor before all this and he most certainly isn’t now.

“He didn’t even realise he was in the pub until he was standing up beside him.

“Everyone in the pub was shocked by what had happened and couldn’t believe it.”

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