Is Conor McGregor on Forbes' list of billionaire athletes?
Conor McGregor is known worldwide for his impressive displays in the UFC and also for his lavish lifestyle outside of the octagon. However, McGregor isn't yet on Forbes' list of billionaire athletes.
According to Forbes, they only know of three athletes to have earned at least $1 billion based on lifetime earnings – LeBron James, Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods.
In 2021, Forbes stated that Conor McGregor earned $180 million. The publication believes that only $22 million came via his performances in the octagon. The rest came from sponsorships and endorsements outside of the UFC.
However, Conor Mcgregor is also a businessman and started his own whiskey company called Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey in September 2018. The Irishman sold a major stake in the company in 2021, with the deal said to be worth up to $600 million.
'Notorious' will likely struggle to earn as much as Tiger Woods, LeBron James and Michael Jordan in lifetime earnings, due to MMA paying much less than other sports. However, with the Irishman's business brain, he's seemingly well on his way to becoming a billionaire in the future.
Dana White keen to set up Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler for Irishman's return
After losing back-to-back fights against Dustin Poirier, Conor McGregor is keen to make a comeback. The Irishman often makes call-outs via social media but is yet to find an opponent for his return to the octagon.
However, UFC president Dana White is keen to put the Irishman in the octagon with the exciting Michael Chandler. Chandler has fought only four times in the UFC but has faced some of the toughest opponents in his division. He has shared the cage with Dan Hooker, Charles Oliveira, Justin Gaethje, and Tony Ferguson.
In a recent interview with TMZ Sports, White stated:
"I really like [Michael] Chandler vs. Conor [McGregor] after Chandler's last fight. There's plenty of fights to make. I don't know if that's the one but we'll see what the landscape looks like when Conor comes back... I'm just saying after his last interview, his last fight, Conor's ranked No.8, [Chandler's] ranked No.5 – it makes a lot of sense right now."
Catch Dana White's interview with TMZ Sports below:
This would be yet another tough opponent for Chandler, who has had one of the hardest runs ever for a new fighter in the UFC. However, the bout is also very tricky for McGregor.
'Notorious' has struggled with wrestlers in the past, which is Chandler's strongest asset. The American will undoubtedly look to take the former UFC champion to the ground, which could cause major issues for McGregor.
A fight between the two UFC stars hasn't been booked yet, but it's one that Dana White, and fans, would like to see in the future.