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‘I’m closing in on a billion now’: Conor McGregor insists he is well on his way to becoming MMA’s first billionaire… as the Irishman reveals his REAL net worth ahead of UFC return
- Conor McGregor is the richest fighter in the history of mixed martial arts
- The 34-year-old was named the world’s highest-paid athlete by Forbes in 2021
- His bout with Floyd Mayweather was one of the sport’s highest-grossing fights
Conor McGregor has revealed his ambition to become MMA’s first billionaire, with the 34-year-old aiming to replicate NBA legend Michael Jordan’s financial success.
McGregor has long been one of the highest-paid fighters in combat sports, and was the first MMA fighter to be named on the famed Forbes list.
The 34-year-old revealed after his 2017 boxing match with Floyd Mayweather that he had netted around $100million (£80.3m) for his part in the crossover fight.
In the years since the ‘money fight’, as it became known, McGregor has diversified his income, and topped the Forbes highest-paid athletes list in 2021.
That year, he and his business partners sold their stake in Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey for a reported $600million (£481.9m).
Conor McGregor has revealed his aim to become the first billionaire MMA fighter in history
McGregor netted a reported $100million for his 2017 crossover fight with Floyd Mayweather
With his UFC return drawing ever-closer, McGregor revealed he aims to be among the highest-paid athletes of all time and set his sights on Chicago Bulls legend Jordan in top spot.
‘It’s motivating, Michael Jordan’s at the top spot, obviously with the Jordan brand that took him there, he’s worth multiple billions, 3.3 I think he’s made.’ McGregor told Megan Olivi on the UFC’s YouTube Channel.
‘I’m closing in on a billion now, I think I’m at about 650million all in I’ve made. I think [Forbes] estimate that, I’d have to probably do my own little check of that.
‘But I fancy my chances, I fancy my chances of getting up that list. It’s good to see, as you say that Forbes was a goal of mine to hit that, I got that and onwards we go.’
After nearly two years outside the Octagon following a serious injury in his fight with Dustin Poirier at UFC 264, McGregor has insisted that he will return to action this year.
The former lightweight champion has since topped the Forbes highest-paid athletes list
The UFC’s drug-testing organisation, USADA, revealed in a statement last month that the former two-weight world champion had submitted paperwork to rejoin the testing pool.
‘We have recently been in direct contact with Conor McGregor, and as he confirmed today in the media, we expect to receive his paperwork coming out of retirement and re-entering the USADA testing pool immediately,’ USADA wrote in a statement.
‘Like other athletes who come out of retirement, under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, McGregor will be subject to testing for at least six months and must provide at least two negative samples before being permitted to compete.’
The Irishman is expected to face lightweight contender Michael Chandler in his return to competition, with the pair serving as opposing judges on the 31st season of The Ultimate Fighter.
