How much money did Conor McGregor make against Donald Cerrone?
Conor McGregor is the biggest moneymaker in the history of mixed martial arts. The Irishman was involved in the second best-selling event in the history of pay-per-view when he faced boxing legend, Floyd Mayweather.
Nicknamed "The Biggest Fight in Combat Sports History," the bout that saw the most prominent stars in boxing and MMA come face to face is only surpassed by "The Fight of the Century," between Mayweather and another legendary pugilist Manny Pacquiao.
On that occasion, Conor McGregor had a guaranteed $30 million purse for the fight. But by the end of it, the UFC star received almost triple of the initially estimated paycheck, with a reported $85 million going straight to his bank account. In comparison, Mayweather pocketed $275 million.
But that was an extraordinary event in the history of combat sports. It was one of the rare times where the MMA and the boxing worlds collided. Therefore it was expected that the bout would generate this much attention and cash for those who took part in it. But how does a typical UFC event compare to it? That's if we can even use the word 'typical' when Conor McGregor is involved.
In one of the most anticipated fights in UFC's history, McGregor returned to the octagon to face the unbeaten UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. The UFC 229 main event was the third best-selling pay-per-view event ever, with over 2.5 million buys. Both fighters attracted these numbers due to their personal rivalry that was built up ahead of their encounter. The feud was so intense that even when the referee stopped the fight, Nurmagomedov wanted more. The Russian fighter provoked a riot cage-side attacking McGregor's team members.
Still, with all of this turmoil surrounding their battle, McGregor "only" earned $50 million. In the superlative world of Conor McGregor, that gargantuan amount was only the third-biggest amount that he got from a fight.
Conor McGregor vs. Donald Cerrone
After more than one year away, Conor McGregor's long-awaited return to the octagon happened in January 2020. The UFC star returned to the promotion to face Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone. Although Cerrone was coming from six losses in his last ten fights, the bout produced big expectations, exceeding the two million PPV buys and becoming the second best-selling event in the promotion's history.
In an interview with ESPN's Ariel Helwani, Conor McGregor said he expected to make an astonishing $80 million from his battle with the "Cowboy" Cerrone. The purse was a standard $3 million, but McGregor was already considering further endorsements and PPV shares.
In contrast, Cerrone reportedly pocketed a 'modest' $200,000 since he didn't get paid any PPV money. The "Cowboy" answered fans' speculations about his paycheck after the bout on his Instagram.
"Hahahahah 7-10 million. I didn't get PPV money," Cerrone wrote. "What the world thinks and what really happens is so different. I made flat money."
McGregor's claims that he made $80 million from that fight are disputed. Even with more than two million PPV buys, McGregor's shares would have to be really high for him to achieve that, which seems unlikely.
For his next fight against Dustin Poirier in UFC 257, Conor McGregor will receive his bulkiest UFC purse to date with a guaranteed $5 million. Poirier will also break his personal record with a guaranteed $1 million. With PPV shares, it is estimated that the Irishman will bag $20 million.
Jake Paul's $50 million offer
YouTuber Jake Paul has made a $50 million offer to Conor McGregor to face him in a boxing bout. The social media star has recently launched his career as a pugilist and declared that fighting McGregor is his "life mission."
In a foul-mouthed call-out, Paul dared McGregor to accept the challenge, insinuating that the former UFC double-champion is scared of being humiliated by a YouTuber. Paul also threw punches at UFC president Dana White, who has answered by saying that he is considering matching him with women's UFC titan Amanda Nunes.
What is Conor McGregor's net worth?
According to Forbes, Conor McGregor is the 16th highest-paid athlete of 2020, with $48 million, a much lower value than the self-proclaimed $80 million from his fight with Donald Cerrone.
McGregor is sponsored by EA Sports, Reebok, and Wynn Resorts, besides having his own brands: August McGregor, a menswear collection; Proper No 12 whiskey; and FAST, a personal training and elite performance venture.
Other sources state that McGregor's total net worth is around $120 million.
Conor McGregor's career record
After defeating Donald Cerrone, Conor McGregor increased his record of professional MMA wins to 22. The Irishman has lost six times, the most recent being a submission defeat to UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. He can add another win in January 2020 when he will face Dustin Poirier for the second time in his career.
Jake Paul's career record
Jake Paul started his boxing career in 2019. He has entered the ring on two occasions, winning both fights. The first win came via KO against fellow YouTuber AnEsonGib; the second, also a KO, happened when Paul defeated former NBA player Nate Robinson in the preliminary fight to Mike Tyson's retirement return.