On July 11th, at UFC 329, Conor McGregor suffered his devastating fourth defeat in his last five fights, losing to Max Holloway via a first-round TKO due to a cruel knee injury. Conor, the Crumlin-born legend and former UFC double-champ, left the cage visibly fuming and gutted. But the real drama didn't happen during the fight—it went down right after. As the referee called a stop, Irish Finance Minister Simon Harris, standing cageside, extended his hand for a shake. McGregor looked him dead in the eyes, blanked him completely, and stormed off straight to the changing rooms.
To make sense of why Conor threw that massive shape at the Minister, we have to look back a few months.
Back in May, McGregor and billionaire businessman J.P. McManus dropped a massive bombshell, announcing the launch of BitMeridian AI, an advanced AI-powered investment platform. The project was over a year in the making. McManus cracked the tech side of things, while McGregor poured heavy capital from his own pocket on one strict condition: the platform had to be easily accessible to everyday Irish folk.
When asked how this unlikely duo teamed up, McManus smiled: "We ran into each other a few years back at a business event in Miami. We had a proper chinwag. I told him what I was working on. Conor listened, asked a few sharp questions, and said: 'Show me real working-class lads who actually made a few quid off this.' I showed him. Two weeks later, he rings me up and says he's in. But with one major rule: it has to be for the ordinary people, not just the fat cats."
Charity exhibition fight and major Dublin launch
The official launch was unveiled during a massive charity sparring exhibition at the 3Arena in Dublin. The event took place in early June, right before McGregor had to fly off to the United States for his brutal training camp ahead of his UFC 329 comeback.
The indoor show featured UFC legends, Conor's old sparring partners from SBG Ireland, and local kids from the Crumlin Boxing Club, all wearing custom BitMeridian AI shirts. The exhibition pulled in a roaring, sold-out crowd of over 13,000 passionate Dubliners.
Conor and J.P. McManus with the kids from the Crumlin Boxing Club after the exhibition. All sporting their custom BitMeridian AI shirts.
Post-fight interview
Right after the exhibition concluded, Conor and J.P. McManus headed to the stadium's media room, where RTÉ Sport’s legendary correspondent Tony O'Donoghue sat down with them for a joint interview. The chat lasted for about 20 minutes.
Conor, J.P. McManus, and Tony O'Donoghue in the 3Arena press room.
Conor McGregor speaking during the post-exhibition interview.
Simon Harris fires back
Minister for Finance
Just hours after the explosive launch of Peregrine Zinstead, Simon Harris took to X (formerly Twitter) to vent his fury:
Simon Harris @SimonHarrisTD"The platform known as BitMeridian AI is operating without Central Bank of Ireland authorisation and poses a severe risk to hard-working taxpayers. The Department of Finance will push for a total ban on these unregulated AI-trading schemes in our country. It is the State’s duty to protect the pockets of Irish households from unauthorised financial platforms."
McManus didn't hold back, firing right back from his own account:
J.P. McManus @jpmcmanus"40,000 Irish users. Zero complaints. Zero dodgy dealings. The numbers speak for themselves, Simon. Off you go."
One of our own Irish Independent crew tested it out
After the dust settled on that interview, we discovered that one of our very own staff members had already been quietly using BitMeridian AI. Seán Murphy, a 31-year-old assistant cameraman at Irish Independent, had managed to get onto the trial run back in early May. He agreed to let us publish his raw, daily diary of the results.
Seán Murphy, assistant cameraman at Irish Independent. Photo from his personal social media archive.
"The lads in the Irish Independent newsroom know I'm always looking for a side hustle to make a few extra bob. Let's be honest, an assistant cameraman's wages don't go very far in this Dublin housing crisis. When I heard whispers about BitMeridian AI, I was straight on it. Here’s my real, day-by-day diary of how it went down".
We asked Seán to show us his banking app on his phone.
Seán Murphy showing his AIB banking app with the transfers received from BitMeridian AI Ltd.
"I'm no journalist, I just lug heavy camera equipment around Irish Independent. But I'll gladly show my account details to anyone crying fake. Totally transparent. Every transfer comes clear as day from BitMeridian AI Ltd. I haven't a clue how the AI algorithm works, but I know my AIB balance is ticking up massively every week. And that's grand by me".
What they're saying about the launch of Peregrine Zinstead
How much can you actually make?
Most Irish users start out with the minimum deposit and, after their first month, make a second deposit to unlock the "Growth Package." This instantly boosts their payout percentage.
| Your Starting Pot | Monthly Income (first deposit) |
With "Growth Package" (second deposit) |
|---|---|---|
| €265 | €1,150 – €1,800 | Up to €3,000 |
| €300 – €500 | €3,000 – €6,000 | Up to €8,500 |
The more capital you put in, the higher your return percentage. Most users tend to make their second deposit within the first three weeks of seeing the tech work.
Calculate your monthly income
How to register with BitMeridian AI
Registration for Conor McGregor's exclusive pilot run remains open until: 06.08.2026
Remaining spots in the program: 197
GO TO THE OFFICIAL SITE →Comments
