Conor McGregor isn't backing down from financial demands for the UFC
Conor McGregor hopes to one day become the 'highest earning athlete' in the world and to get there he's going to need his employers at the UFC to hand him a much larger paycheck from now on.
Following his title fight win over Eddie Alvarez last November, McGregor mentioned that he was looking to sit down with the new owners of the UFC from WME-IMG and talk about his future with the company.
McGregor, who is the largest draw in UFC history while also likely commanding the biggest salary, was interested in a stake of the company or some sort of equity that would see him make even more money when he competes.
Currently, McGregor is taking a break from the sport as he awaits the birth of his first child in May, but with negotiations ongoing for a potential super fight with Floyd Mayweather, the lightweight champion isn't backing down from what he wants before returning to the UFC.
"$4.2 billion dollars.” McGregor answered when asked by GQ recently what kind of money he's looking to make. “I want to negotiate what I'm worth. I want to put my analytics forward, man-to-man, and be like, ‘This is what I'm owed now. Pay me.’ And then we can talk.”
McGregor has already accounted for the largest single payday in UFC history with his rematch against Nate Diaz last August where he made $3 million before cashing in on pay-per-view sales, which likely pushed his pay past eight figures. It's possible McGregor made similar money for his next fight against Alvarez, but the New York State Athletic Commission doesn't make those figures available to the public.
Regardless of how much money McGregor made, he knows he's still worth a lot more and that's why he's holding out for a heftier payday before he returns to the UFC.
“I mean certainly hell of a fatter check," McGregor said. "Maybe potentially, down the road, an equity, interest or something. I'm just letting them know I want something else.”
As McGregor awaits a more financially viable offer from the UFC for his next fight there, he's still negotiating a potential showdown in boxing with Floyd Mayweather that could earn him by far the biggest payday of his career.
It's likely a bout between McGregor and Mayweather would generate some of the biggest pay-per-view numbers in history so it's understandable why the Irishman would be interested in holding out for that fight to happen.
Whether it's Mayweather or a return to the UFC, McGregor made it clear in a post on Instagram that he's looking to add a few more zeroes to his bank account whenever he books his next fight.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BQjppG2h1cQ/?hl=en
"I now, at 28 years of age, have my eyes firmly set on the 'highest paid fighter' and 'highest earning athlete' accolades," McGregor wrote.
"Understand and respect what you are witnessing here. Because not one of you can do nothing to stop it."
