CONOR McGREGOR remains the highest-paid UFC fighter of all time.
The Notorious, who retired in June, became the sport’s biggest attraction after bursting on to the UFC scene in 2013 – and quickly took over as a world champion superstar.
He has an estimated net worth of £100m according to Forbes, with his crossover boxing match against Floyd Mayweather in 2017, sponsorships deals and Proper 12 whiskey adding to the fortune he has made in the octagon.
But in a list compiled by Athletic Panda, the Irishman leads the way in terms of money earned through UFC fights.
The list excludes cash made outside the cage and fight night bonuses, with stars like McGregor earning a large chunk of their purse though add-ons and pay-per-view revenue.
But having earned £9.7m through guaranteed purses, McGregor leads the way as the highest paid UFC fighter.
In his octagon return against Donald Cerrone in January he received a minimum £2.3m cheque, the same amount he made before fighting Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2018 and Nate Diaz for a second time in 2016.
But McGregor claimed that after PPV bonuses he was on course to make £80m.
He made his PPV debut in July 2015 winning the UFC interim featherweight title against Chad Mendes – and has fought on box office ever since.
From there he scored the quickest win in the promotion’s title fight history after a left hand ended Jose Aldo’s 10-year unbeaten run in 13 seconds at UFC 194 in December 2015.
McGregor went on to headline PPV’s against Diaz, twice, and Eddie Alvarez, where he became the first UFC champion to hold two belts at the same time.
But in his next MMA bout, against bitter rival Khabib at UFC 229, the lightweight title fight sold 2.4m PPV’s – a box office record for the company.
McGregor's comeback in January sold just 1M PPV's – his second worst box office record, with his win against Mendes the only to have had under one million buys.
Trailing behind McGregor by £2.7m is heavyweight Alistair Overeem, who has only headlined two PPV events, but made his fortune through a 64-fight career.
Khabib slots in third on the list with £7m, but is becoming a superstar is his own right through his loyal Dagestani and European fan base.
The unbeaten champion is breathing down The Notorious' neck and will jump up the list should he hold on to his belt.
If McGregor and Nurmagomedov were to rematch their overall net worth and earnings would sky rocket, with UFC boss Dana White predicting a record breaking box office event.
Former UFC champion and WWE star Ronda Rousey is just 23rd on the list having made £3.4m before she left the sport in 2016 following a loss to Amanda Nunes.
Cage legend Anderson Silva is fourth, thanks to his 19 box office headliners – with 9.6m PPV’s sold all together.
And Georges St-Pierre is sixth, making £5.6m during his career as welterweight kind and middleweight champion, with British legend Michael Bisping in front at fifth.
Bisping received £5.7m in his 39-fight career, headlining four PPV’s for the company.
Current pound-for-pound king Jon Jones slots in at seventh, but still reigning as light-heavyweight champion and a PPV fighter, the American has time and the ability to boost up the list.
With 15 box office main-events, including two blockbuster fights with arch nemesis Daniel Cormier, Jones has earned £5.2m through fight night pay cheques.
Becoming the UFC’s youngest champion at age 23 beating Mauricio Rua in 2011, Jones has many years left in the sport but still has a net worth of £8m.
His storied past, including arrests, UFC suspensions and inactivity saw the light-heavyweight ruler lose sponsors.
WWE star Brock Lesnar is deep down the list, coming in at 14 having earned £4.1m – but what seems a shock at first, makes sense considering the heavyweight had just eight UFC fights.
He headlined every event he fought in, winning the heavyweight title at UFC 100 beating rival Frank Mir in a rematch.
Lesnar’s work outside the cage as well as his wrestling career has seen his net worth grow to £22m – making him one of MMA's richest stars.
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