Former UFC champion credits Conor McGregor for 'elevating' his "best friends" Dustin Poirier and Khabib Nurmagomedov to superstardom
This month marks the 10th anniversary of Conor McGregor in the UFC, who made his promotional debut in April 2013. The Irishman is undoubtedly the most famous mixed martial artist in the world, and Daniel Cormier recently thanked McGregor for advancing his friends Dustin Poirier and Khabib Nurmagomedov to superstardom.
In a recent episode of the DC & RC Show, Cormier appreciated Conor McGregor for making 'The Diamond' and 'The Eagle' bigger stars than they would be without him. 'DC' stated:
"He has elevated two of my best friends. Two of the guys that I love, that I appreciate more than anyone. He has elevated Khabib to a megastar, and he has elevated Poirier to a level of stardom that Dustin never could've imagined getting before. So not only does he help himself, he helps the guys that he shares the octagon with."
Watch the interview from the 5:31 mark below:
While Nurmagomedov and Poirier are undoubtedly exceptional fighters, many fans opine that their intense rivalries with Conor McGregor have brought a much bigger spotlight on them.
'The Notorious' is credited with headlining five out of the six highest-earning pay-per-view events in UFC history, with three of those events including 'The Eagle' and 'The Diamond' opposite the Irishman.
McGregor's fight against Nurmagomedov at UFC 229 is the highest-selling pay-per-view event in promotional history, with his second meeting with Poirier at UFC 257 taking the next spot. His third bout against the Louisiana native at UFC 264 ranks fourth.
#OnThisDay in 2018, Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor faced off for the final time ahead of one of the most eagerly anticipated fights in UFC history.
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Conor McGregor becomes the only MMA fighter to rank among the highest-paid athletes of all time
Conor McGregor is the biggest superstar to compete in MMA, without a doubt, and the UFC's cash cow is now the wealthiest fighter to ever step into the cage. A recent report compiled the world's top 50 highest-paid athletes of all time, and 'The Notorious' is the only mixed martial artist on the list at the No.33 spot.
According to a Sportico report, Conor McGregor has earned $530 million over his career, adjusted to $615 million due to inflation. Michael Jordan topped the rankings with $3.3 billion in lifetime earnings, with Tiger Woods at No. 2 with $2.5 billion.
McGregor's career earnings reflect the combined money he's made from his fight purses (including pay-per-view bonuses), his 2017 boxing extravaganza against Floyd Mayweather, which reportedly earned him over $100 million, and sale of the majority stake in his Proper No.12 Whiskey brand for about $600 million.
The Irishman will further profit from his role in the movie 'Road House' and a highly-anticipated comeback against Michael Chandler later this year.