Conor McGregor has signed a 6-fight deal with the UFC according to a report from ESPN. Although financial terms were not disclosed, Dana White indicated that the new contract could make McGregor the highest-paid athlete in the UFC.
The deal includes a sponsor agreement with McGregor’s new venture, Proper Whiskey. McGregor sold his new product during Thursday’s press conference which was closed to the public.
McGregor was likely the highest-paid fighter even before the new contract. His last reported purse at UFC 202 in August 2016 against Nate Diaz drew him $3 million although he likely made much more due to his PPV buy rate. Last August against Floyd Mayweather, Jr., McGregor made $30 million without considering the buy rate upside.
Payout Perspective:
Although it is not disclosed, its clear that McGregor is the marquee athlete in the UFC and the promotion is happy to have him back. McGregor is far from retiring as one can see from Thursday’s press conference is that he likes the attention and the confrontation. He was the fourth highest-paid athlete according to Forbes from his boxing match. He made $85 million in winnings and another 14 million in endorsements. One might expect McGregor to eclipse this mark if he does 2-3 fights in one year.
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