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Conor McGregor vs Khabib UFC fight prize money: How much will winner make from winning lightweight bout?

The fight is poised to become the most lucrative of McGregor's MMA career

Tuesday 09 October 2018 07:30 BST

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Conor McGregor v Khabib Nurmagomedov: Tale of the tape

Conor McGregor is one of the most marketable sports personalities in the world – and he stands to earn even more money if he reclaims his UFC lightweight title by becoming the first man ever to defeat Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Dana White has dubbed the fight “the biggest in UFC history” and the pay-per-view numbers could even reach the 3m mark.

McGregor – undoubtedly the biggest star in the UFC – has said that he expects earn around $50m for fighting Khabib: the biggest payday of his mixed martial arts career.

Providing the fight goes the full distance – which we’re not expecting – that works out as $10m per-round, $2m per-minute and a whopping $33k per second.

Conor McGregor's most controversial moments

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1/13Conor McGregor's most controversial moments

Conor McGregor's most controversial moments

Conor McGregor's most controversial moments

The Irish superstar is no stranger to controversy. Here are twelve occasions in which he generated headlines for all the wrong reasons.

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Conor McGregor's most controversial moments

'F*** the Queen'

McGregor came in for criticism from some quarters for wearing a poppy at a UFC event back in 2015. “I know where my allegiance lies and what I do for my country,” was his firebrand response. “You have a pint in your hand and a Celtic jersey on in your local. F*** you and the Queen.”

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Conor McGregor's most controversial moments

Nazi row

One of the first serious controversies in McGregor’s career. “Kiss them feet, Nazi,” he tweeted German fighter Dennis Siver. His apology also came in for criticism: “Ich bin bin sowwy. Now about them feet…” he wrote.

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Conor McGregor's most controversial moments

Insulting Aldo

“I own this town, I own Rio de Janeiro,” McGregor told Brazilian fighter Jose Aldo, in a series of heavily criticised comments. “In previous times I would invade his favela on horseback and would kill anyone who wasn’t fit to work, but we’re in a new time, so I’ll whoop his ass instead.”

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Conor McGregor's most controversial moments

UFC 200 no show

McGregor decided he did not have the time to fulfil his press duties ahead of UFC 200, and his scheduled rematch with Nate Diaz. UFC president Dana White was unimpressed with his no-show at a press conference and decided to pull him from the card. McGregor and Diaz would eventually meet at UFC 202, with the Irishman taking a points decision.

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Conor McGregor's most controversial moments

Bottles ahoy

McGregor has been in trouble for throwing things before. Ahead of UFC 202 he became involved in a heated altercation with the Diaz brothers, which culminated in him hurling full cans of energy drink across a press conference. He was subsequently fined $25k by the Nevada State Athletic Commission and handed 25-hours community service.

Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Conor McGregor's most controversial moments

Racism allegations

There were a number of controversial moments during the Mayweather vs McGregor world press tour, with the UFC champion accused of racism on more than one ocassion. He attracted criticism for telling Mayweather to “dance for me, boy!” before later reasoning he was not a racist because “I’m black from the bellybutton down.”

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Conor McGregor's most controversial moments

Showtime spat

Showtime Spots executive Stephen Espinoza was less than impressed when McGregor turned his ire to him during the Mayweather vs McGregor world tour. “While we’re at it, f*ck Showtime too,” McGregor shouted at Espinoza in Toronto. “Look at you, you little f*cking weasel, I can see it in your eyes, you’re a f*cking bitch. Cut my mic off? Cut the champ’s mic off? Hell no. You f*cking weasel.”

Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Conor McGregor's most controversial moments

Bellator brawl

After his team-mate Charlie Ward defeated John Redmond at a Bellator event in Dublin, McGregor vaulted into the cage and began arguing with respected referee Marc Goddard. McGregor pushed Goddard and threatened an official, before eventually apologising. “I’ve always learned from my mistakes, and this will be no different,” he said.

Conor McGregor's most controversial moments

Homophobia allegations

The Irishman was heavily criticised when television cameras overheard him referring to Andre Fili as a “f****” after the American beat his training partner Artem Lobov at UFC Gdansk. “I’m human; I slip up, I say stupid things every damn day,” McGregor later apologised. “All I can (do) is hold my hand up and apologise if anyone was offended.”

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Conor McGregor's most controversial moments

Darkest day

A warrant for McGregor’s arrest was issued after the Irishman was caught on video smashing the window of a bus full of fighters with a sack trolley. Two fighters were injured in the incident, with McGregor eventually handing himself in to the police. He was eventually sentenced to three days of anger management courses and five days community service.

Conor McGregor's most controversial moments

UFC ban

He was banned from the UFC for six months and fined $50k for brawling with the camp of Khabib after his world title loss.

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Conor McGregor's most controversial moments

Latest shame

On Monday, McGregor was arrested in Miami Beach for allegedly destroying and stealing the mobile phone of a man who was attempting to take his photograph.

Miami Beach PD

A huge sum … but not quite the $100m he earned for fighting Floyd Mayweather in Las Vegas last summer.

And his official fight salary is a lot less. According to salaries released earlier this week by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, McGregor will take home a flat $3m for fighting Khabib – a sum which of course excludes any bonuses, PPV revenue and commercial deals.

Nurmagomedov will meanwhile take home $2m – very much the B-Side of the bout despite holding the lightweight title.

It’s important to note those figures do not include deductions for items such as insurance, licenses and taxes. Nor do they include money paid by sponsors, including the official UFC Athlete Outfitting sponsorship program.

‘Locker room’ and special discretionary bonuses are not includes, nor are the PPV cuts McGregor and Nurmagomedov will receive, hence why the actual amounts made by the men will be far, far higher.

Here is the full list of UFC 229 disclosed paydays:

Khabib Nurmagomedov: $2 million (no win bonus) vs. Conor McGregor: $3 million (no win bonus)
Tony Ferguson: $150,000 to show ($5,000 to win) vs Anthony Pettis: $145,000 to show ($145,000 to win)
Ovince Saint Preux: $86,000 to show ($86,000 to win) vs. Dominick Reyes: $45,000 to show ($45,000 to win)
Derrick Lewis: $135,000 to show ($135,000 to win) vs. Alexander Volkov: $75,000 to show ($75,000 to win)
Michelle Waterson: $50,000 to show ($50,000 to win) vs. Felice Herrig: $40,000 to show ($40,000 to win)
Sergio Pettis: $46,000 to show ($46,000 to win) vs. Jussier Silva: $43,000 to show ($43,000 to win)
Vicente Luque: $38,000 to show ($38,000 to win) vs. Jalin Turner: $10,000 to show ($10,000 to win)
Aspen Ladd: $12,000 to show ($12,000 to win) vs. Tonya Evinger: $30,000 to show ($30,000 to win)
Scott Holtzman: $30,000 to show ($30,000 to win) vs. Alan Patrick: $30,000 to show ($30,000 to win)
Lina Lansberg: $20,000 to show ($20,000 to win) vs. Yana Kunitskaya: $25,000 to show ($25,000 to win)
Grey Maynard: $54,000 to show ($54,000 to win) vs. Nik Lentz: $50,000 to show ($50,000 to win)
Ryan LaFlare: $33,000 to show ($33,000 to win) vs. Tony Martin: $28,000 to show ($28,000 to win)

Follow LIVE coverage of McGregor vs Khabib at UFC 229

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