Conor McGregor slips 34 spots on Forbes list of Highest-Paid Athletes

Conor McGregor drops to No.35 on Forbes' list [Photo credit: Forbes.com]

Last year's biggest earner in sports, Conor McGregor, took a massive plunge on this year's Forbes list of Highest-Paid Athletes.

After beating out some of the most iconic names to land in the prestigious list's top spot in 2021, McGregor finds himself in 35th place. This year, the UFC megastar reportedly made $43 million, a measly amount compared to his $180 million last year.

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It was a massive decline, but far from a surprising one. Of course, McGregor accumulated a huge portion of his wealth through the sale of his whiskey company, Proper No. Twelve.

Conor McGregor is named the Forbes number 1 highest paid athlete for 2021.

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According to Forbes, McGregor netted $150 million for that transaction alone. He also made a lone appearance in the UFC in 2020, which, along with his sponsorship deals, made him the most financially successful sportsman of 2021.

With the Irishman out of the picture, Lionel Messi reclaimed the top spot. The iconic football star reportedly raked in a whopping $130 million. Mainstays such as LeBron James, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, and Stephen Curry joined Messi in the list's Top 5.

Forbes breaks down Conor McGregor's earnings for 2022

The year 2022 isn't as lucrative for Conor McGregor. 'The Notorious' didn't even make a quarter of his earnings last year as he spent his time on the sidelines.

The Dublin native apparently pocketed $33 million for his most recent fight against Dustin Poirier, according to Forbes. Meanwhile, his rematch against 'The Diamond,' in January 2021, earned him an estimated $22 million.

Not only did McGregor take a step back when it comes to his finances, but his in-cage career is arguably at its lowest point. McGregor is coming off back-to-back losses and is currently recovering from a broken leg injury.

Conor McGregor claims he almost pulled out of the trilogy with Dustin Poirier due to injury.

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UFC president Dana White revealed that McGregor is expected to make his highly-anticipated return towards the end of the year. During an interview with The Sun, White said:

"I literally have nothing for [Conor McGregor] right now, he’s not ready. The whole landscape could change over the summer. We’ll see when he’s ready to fight. And when the doctor gives him 100 percent clearance we’ll start looking at possible opponents. We’re looking at early fall if everything goes right. If his leg heals right and he gets the clearance to really start training, then possibly early fall."