Conor McGregor has already set the high mark for the biggest disclosed payday in the history of mixed martial arts and he’s looking to set a whole new bar on Saturday night at UFC 229.
With his upcoming fight against Khabib Nurmagomedov predicted to be the biggest pay-per-view card in UFC history, McGregor expects to rake in a lot of profits from his part in the show.
The Irish superstar just recently inked a new six-fight deal with the UFC that will not only keep him as the highest paid fighter on the roster, but may earn him the most exorbitant payday in the history of the sport.
“We’re estimating around 3 to 3.5 milllion [pay-per-view buys], I’d say I’ll close in around the $50 million mark,” McGregor said when asked about how much he’ll be paid for his performance at UFC 229.
“So, for a mixed martial artist to make $50 million from a mixed martial arts bout, it’s quite breathtaking. I have to thank my management stable, Paradigm Sports Management. I’ve got to thank Dana White, I’ve got to thank Lorenzo Fertitta and Frank (Fertitta) who schooled me in the game. The new owners —what’s the name — WME-IMG? Those guys as well. I haven’t really met them that much but they’ve been good to me so far — Ari (Emmanuel) and those guys. Life is good.”
“Say by about 35, I’ll be a billionaire” ~ Conor McGregor
With pay-per-view revenue in the past, McGregor has reportedly made eight-figures on a fight before but nowhere near the kind of money he’s talking about earning for his fight on Saturday night.
McGregor earned approximately $100 million for his fight against Floyd Mayweather last year and that was after their event pulled in around 4.3 million pay-per-view buys.
If UFC 229 sells upwards of 3 million pay-per-view buys, McGregor looks to reap the biggest benefits for any fighter in company history.
In addition to his massive payday at UFC 229, McGregor has also watched sales of his new whiskey ‘Proper 12’ skyrocket since he first released it a couple of weeks ago.
UFC president Dana White already predicted that McGregor’s whiskey could make him a billionaire one day and the former two division champion seems to agree.
“I’m 30 now,” McGregor said when addressing his wealth. “Say by about 35, I’ll be a billionaire.”
