Conor McGregor on expected pay for UFC 196: “I’m going to breeze past the $10 million mark”

By Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Conor McGregor (Photo credit Gary A. Vasquez © USA Today)

After setting a Las Vegas UFC gate record and taking out Jose Aldo after the Brazilian’s decade of dominance, Conor McGregor set himself up to become perhaps the highest paid fighter in UFC history. If his comments on Thursday are any indication, that’s just where he’s at.

During an interview with CNBC’s Jane Wells on Thursday night, both McGregor and Nate Diaz were asked how much they were going to be making for Saturday’s UFC 196 event. Wells posited that the number being bandied about for McGregor’s payday was $10 million for the fight, a number McGregor said was not accurate.

“I’m going to breeze past the $10 million mark,” he said. “Breeze past it.”

When asked then how much it would be, McGregor responded, “A hell of a lot more than that.”

As for Diaz, he said he’d be making quite a bit, calling it “a lot more than anybody else,” to which McGregor then took credit.

“He can thank me for that one,” McGregor said. “I’ve made more millionaires in this game than anybody else.”

Penick’s Analysis: If he’s making well over $10 million a fight, it’s well earned given the money he’s bringing in for the UFC. More of the top names should be commanding significantly more than they have been, and McGregor forced the UFC’s hand on that front more than anyone else has. As for Diaz, who said he was going to get to this level of payday with or without McGregor, he’s never going to acknowledge the idea that the level of someone else is giving him more. That’s fine; it’s not true, but it’s not something he has accept as fact for himself. Still, the opponent here, and the moment that’s been made available to him in this fight is why he’s finally getting that pay day.

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