Michael Chiesa says his family has been receiving hateful messages from Conor McGregor fans amid lawsuit

Back in April, Conor McGregor went ballistic in Brooklyn, and launched dolly through the window of a shuttle bus carrying several fighters on the UFC 223 bill. One of those fighters was Michael Chiesa, who was lacerated by a piece of flying glass, and forced out of his UFC 223 fight with Anthony Pettis as a result.

Given the injury he sustained, and the fact that he was deprived of his expected UFC 223 payday, Michael Chiesa and his team elected to pursue legal action against Conor McGregor. And while it’s very possible Chiesa receives a nice chunk of cash at the end of this ongoing case, he says he and his family have been faced with the wrath of McGregor’s ornery fans as it all unfurls.

“I’m gonna tread lightly with this, obviously I can’t say a whole lot. But it just has not been good,” Michael Chiesa on The MMA Hour on Monday (transcript via MMA Fighting). “Even my girlfriend and my mom get messages and comments. They’re not a part of this and it’s kind of a shame when — my mom’s a sensitive lady and I do my best to protect her and stuff. And when she tells me about some of the mean things that are getting sent her way it’s really, it’s a shame.

“Anybody can say whatever they want to me,” he added. “This is about me, this isn’t about my family. And, you know, today hasn’t been great.”

While it is certainly unfortunate that Michael Chiesa’s family has been targeted by MMA fans, the lightweight turned welterweight says he’s reluctant to hold it against MMA fans as a whole.

“I hate hearing people say, ‘MMA fans are the worst.’ It’s like, I don’t want to say that because I think MMA fans are great but in the same sense I don’t ever see people that don’t like LeBron James say volatile, mean ass s**t about him,” he said. “But for some reason MMA fans, they throw a lot of shade to a lot of the athletes and it can be pretty bad.”

Michael Chiesa returns to the cage at UFC 232 on December 29 when he will battle Carlos Condit in his welterweight debut.

This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 10/17/2018.