Conor McGregor has beaten Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Lewis Hamilton to the top of Forbes’ highest-paid athlete list.
McGregor is estimated to have made $180million (£127.75m) in the past year, despite losing in his only mixed martial arts bout of 2021.
‘The Notorious’ was knocked out by Dustin Poirier at UFC 257 on Fight Island in January, but still managed to rake in some serious cash outside of the octagon.
Like Roger Federer and Tiger Woods, McGregor earned more money elsewhere. All three have earned more than $70m ‘off the field’ in a single year while still actively competing.
The Irish UFC star made a gigantic £106 million ($150 million) from his recent sale of whiskey brand Proper 12 to Proximo Spirits, as well as £15.5 million ($22 million) from his sporting endeavours.
“Proper Twelve is my baby for life! I’m only warming up the barrels here!” McGregor told The Mac Life shortly after the sale. “What I have in store for you all will not only take Proper Twelve to the absolute pinnacle of Irish whiskey, but of all spirits!”
McGregor has also upped his game in terms of product endorsements, adding DraftKings, the video game Dystopia: Contest of Heroes and the lifestyle brand Roots of Fight to his portfolio that has included campaigns with Burger King in the past, and a lucrative deal to wear Monster Energy’s logo on his fight shorts.
And it seemed like McGregor knew he would be top of the pile when taking part in a Twitter Q&A.
Asked where he would be on the next Forbes list, he replied: “Number 1, of course.”
The top 10 contains three other athletes who cracked $100m since the onset of the pandemic, which has hampered a lot of sporting activity and cut brand sponsorship budgets.
Football superstars Messi and Ronaldo join McGregor in the hundred club, as does NFL quarterback Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys.
The list is rounded out by NBA star LeBron James, PSG footballer Neymar, tennis legend Roger Federer, F1 star Sir Lewis Hamilton, Super Bowl-winning Tom Brady and Brooklyn Nets’ Kevin Durant. (talkSPORT)
•PHOTO: Forbes’ highest-paid athlete Conor McGregor
