FORMER ULTIMATE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP (UFC) lightweight champion and renowned mixed martial arts superstar Conor McGregor has emerged as the world’s highest-paid athletes in 2020, according to Forbes’ recently updated rankings on Wednesday.
For much of 2020, the world’s leading athletes were sidelined, working for reduced pay, playing to empty seats or isolated in competitive bubbles designed to thwart a pandemic that has sapped billions of dollars from professional sports.
But despite that, the ten highest-paid athletes in the world took home pretax gross earnings of $1.05 billion during the past 12 months, 28% more than last year’s top earners.
This is the first time McGregor has topped the Forbes list after raking in around $180 million with earnings boosted by commercial ventures. The Irishman only fought once in 2020, earning around $22 million from his victory over Donald Cerrone in January.
Nicknamed The Notorious, the former two-division UFC champion has not regularly featured even in the top 10 of Forbes’ highest-paid athletes’ list.
McGregor has outclassed the likes of Juventus superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, Barcelona captain, and club legend Lionel Messi to claim the top spot in the sporting rich list.
As per the Forbes’ World’s Top 10 Highest-Paid Athletes list, McGregor finished at the top with estimated earnings of $180 million. According to the report, at least $158 million of his earnings came from outside the wrestling ring.
McGregor is followed by Portuguese goal machine Ronaldo and Argentine stalwart Messi. While Messi has been ranked second in this year’s list, his Ballon d’Or rival Ronaldo has taken the third spot. Messi earned $130 million over the last year while Ronaldo managed to take home $120 million.
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott was fourth on the list with $107.5 million. He is followed by Los Angeles Lakers icon LeBron James ($96.5 million) and Paris Saint-Germain superstar Neymar ($95 million). Swiss tennis legend Roger Federer ($90 million) at seventh. The top 10 list was completed by Lewis Hamilton ($82 million), NFL Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady ($76 million), and Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant ($75 million).
