Conor McGregor Receives Bin Laden Raid Glove Ahead of UFC Return

During a recent interview about his Mac Energy brand, former UFC champion Conor McGregor (37) was handed a single-use combat glove by former Navy SEAL Robert J. O'Neill (50). O'Neill said the glove was worn during the May 2011 Abbottabad raid that killed Osama bin Laden, and McGregor reacted with surprise, asking whether the glove had been used in that mission. The exchange was recorded ahead of McGregor’s July 11 UFC 329 bout with Max Holloway.

Irish Daily MirrorEssentiallySportsConor McGregor gifted glove with 'Osama Bin Laden's DNA' on it by man who claims he killed him

In May 2011 a U.S. Navy SEAL team entered a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, and killed al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. O'Neill has publicly claimed he fired the fatal shots and that he wore the glove during the operation. The claim is disputed by other SEAL Team 6 members, and the U.S. government has not officially confirmed which operator delivered the lethal fire.

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O'Neill described the glove as a token of friendship and said it was used in the 2011 mission. UFC president Dana White confirmed McGregor’s July 11 return against Max Holloway at UFC 329. U.S. officials have not officially identified the shooter in the raid, and some former SEALs have publicly disputed O'Neill’s account.

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Former SEAL Team 6 members, including Matt Bissonnette, have challenged O'Neill’s claim to have fired the fatal shots. Social-media users expressed skepticism about the glove’s authenticity and suggested the gesture could be a publicity stunt. The criticism highlights doubts about the glove’s provenance.

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Sources differ on whether O'Neill was the sole shooter; other teammates reported additional gunfire. The glove’s provenance has not been independently confirmed, leaving its direct link to the raid unverified. Official records do not disclose the operative’s identity, creating persistent ambiguity.

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• “I wanted you to have that as a gift. I wanted you to have it as a token of our friendship,” — Robert J. O'Neill, Former Navy SEAL

Conor McGregor gifted glove with 'Osama Bin Laden's DNA' on it by man who claims he killed him

• “These are the gloves that were used on the mission to take down Osama bin Laden?” — Conor McGregor, UFC fighter

Conor McGregor gifted glove with 'Osama Bin Laden's DNA' on it by man who claims he killed him

• “He probably has 10 more gloves he will gift to others with the same story,” — X user (fan comment)

Conor McGregor gifted glove with 'Osama Bin Laden's DNA' on it by man who claims he killed him

McGregor will fight Max Holloway at UFC 329 on July 11. After the event, both athletes are expected to continue media engagements, and O'Neill has hinted he may appear in future promotional content for McGregor’s Mac Energy brand.

Irish Daily Mirror