Artem Lobov has launched High Court proceedings against Conor McGregor over an alleged barrage of harassing, intimidating and defamatory posts on social media about the Dublin-based retired Russian MMA fighter.
Mr Lebov claims that the most damaging post about him on Mr McGregor's Twitter account, @TheNotoriousMMA is where he is allegedly referred to in a song sung by Mr McGregor as being a "rat".
The High Court heard that Mr Lobov claims that the posts about him arise from other legal proceedings brought by him against Mr McGregor.
The High Court heard that on November 26th last several posts were put on Mr McGregor's account by way of voice note where it is alleged the defendant sings
"Artem is ra-at nah nah nah nah, hey, nah nah nah nah hey rat" repeated 12 times.
It is claimed the defendant has also allegedly referred to Mr Lobov as being a rat in other posts, posted between late November and December 15th last on his Twitter account, which has 9.7 million followers.
Sausages
The court also heard that a picture of Mr Lobov superimposed on a packet of raw sausages was also allegedly posted on Mr McGregor's Twitter account.
In other messages posted on the account it is claimed that Mr McGregor calls Mr Lobov a little blouse, a turn coat, an uncooked sausage, makes references to court proceedings the parties are in, and challenges the plaintiff to a fight.
Mr Lobov also claims that as part of the campaign against him on Twitter and Instagram Mr McGregor's father Tony McGregor also sent him pictures of a rat, a snake and rats.
Mr Lobov's lawyers sought an undertaking from Mr McGregor to cease and desist from posting such material. Mr Lobov's lawyers received no reply from the defendant.
It is also claimed that Mr McGregor's posts are in breach of Twitter's rules and policy on abusive behaviour.
In his action, where he is represented by Andrew Walker SC instructed by solicitor Dermot McNamara, Mr Lobov seeks a permanent order under Section 33 of the 2009 Defamation Act prohibiting Mr McGregor from publishing any further posts similar to those allegedly published by Mr McGregor on Twitter on November 26th last.
The 36-year-old Russian national also seeks an order requiring the defendant, or any other person who has notice of the proceedings to cease and desist from making any similar posts on social to those complained of.
Take down posts
Mr Lobov further seeks an order requiring the defendant to take down and remove any of the allegedly defamatory posts on Twitter or on any other form of social media.
The matter came before Mr Justice Brian O'Moore on Tuesday afternoon.
Seeking the injunctions Mr Walker said that it is his client's case that the defendant has no defence to the application, and the orders should be made against Mr McGregor.
The Judge said that he was satisfied to grant Mr Lobov's permission to serve short notice of the injunction proceedings on Mr McGregor.
The Judge said that he was not prepared to grant a temporary injunction against the defendant at this stage of the proceedings without hearing from Mr McGregor or his legal representatives.
The judge said that it may well be the case that Mr McGregor may have a defence to the claim against him but accepted that the matter should be back before the court within a relatively short period of time.
The judge said he was making the injunction application returnable before the court to Thursday of this week, the first day of court's Christmas vacation.
Legal spat
The judge directed that the injunction application be served on Mr McGregor's home in Straffan Co Kildare, and on solicitors who have represented the 34-year-old MMA fighter in other proceedings.
The action is the latest legal spat between the two parties who were close friends and sparring partners.
In proceedings that came before the Commercial Court earlier this week Mr Lobov claims that Mr McGregor who, along with two other shareholders, sold the "Proper No 12" whiskey brand for US$600m (€584m) to Proximo Spirits in 2021
The deal reportedly netted MrMcGregor US$130m (€123m), making him the highest earning sportsman in the world last year.
Mr Lobov claims Conor McGregor told him that "remember 5pc is yours, no matter what" when the pair discussed the future of a new brand of Irish whiskey backed by McGregor.
Mr Lobov, seeking specific performance of an oral agreement he says the two men made when they met in the SBG gym, Naas Road, Dublin, in September 2017.
However, Mr Lobov failed to get his case admitted to the fast-track Commercial Court list due to delay in bringing the case which now goes through the normal High Court list.
