The individual who was punched by Conor McGregor during a nightclub altercation at 6 am has been identified as Wayne Lineker`s close friend, described as having “the most special heart”.
Joe Gomez, 36, reportedly received two punches from the former UFC fighter at the renowned Pacha nightclub early Tuesday, allegedly “for absolutely no reason”.
His identity came to light via a now-removed Instagram post by 63-year-old club owner Wayne Lineker, who expressed his “disappointment” in McGregor for assaulting his employee.
The MMA star had reportedly been at Lineker`s Ocean Beach club earlier in the night before heading to the VIP area of Pacha.
In the deleted post, Lineker stated that Joe Gomez, whom he described as a very close friend and a loyal eight-year employee at Ocean, was punched twice by McGregor without provocation. He praised Gomez for “taking the punches like a champion” and conveyed his deep disappointment, emphasizing that Ocean Beach Ibiza prioritizes its staff, referring to them as “family”.
A friend of Joe Gomez present during the incident recounted that Wayne Lineker is very supportive of his long-term employee. The friend mentioned that McGregor, who had received complimentary services at Lineker`s Ocean club, had strict rules about phones being used near him.
They found it unclear how Gomez got close enough for the altercation. The friend added that Gomez is doing well, suffered no injury from the punches, and has not indicated plans to press charges, though the incident was shocking and felt like being “in the wrong place at the wrong time”. Wayne Lineker has reportedly handled the situation well.
Earlier in the night, the renowned fighter was seen with glamour model Katie Price at Lineker’s venue.
Photos posted on Instagram showed McGregor smoking a cigar and interacting with the crowd, wearing red shorts, a sun hat, and sunglasses. Katie Price, 47, reposted his story, adding the caption “You legend,” after McGregor had tagged her and written “Forever.”
Tottenham player Kevin Danso also shared a photo with the MMA fighter.
According to exclusive footage, McGregor initially conversed with a man on the dancefloor and then placed his arm around the man`s shoulders from an elevated area. Shortly after this brief interaction, McGregor struck the man, believed to be Mr. Gomez, twice with his left hand.
The initial strike was glancing, but the second, a clear left hook, landed effectively, causing the individual to fall. McGregor, dressed in a black and white shirt and white trousers, was subsequently shielded by his entourage.
Eyewitnesses reported that following the incident, the man who was struck was removed from the club, while McGregor continued his activities. One attendee suggested that McGregor reacted poorly after being provoked.
They described the man falling and being helped by friends, noting that McGregor faced no apparent repercussions, while the other individual was ejected. The altercation occurred just before 6 am.
Another club-goer recounted seeing McGregor with his arm around someone before the punches landed, causing several people to stumble. They noted the victim was visibly shaken and was quickly escorted out by bouncers, seemingly for bothering McGregor, just before closing time. McGregor reportedly left later, appearing displeased about the fight.
Requests for comment were sent to Wayne Lineker and Conor McGregor`s representative.
