Conor McGregor is one of the highest-paid celebrities in the world in 2019 despite only fighting once last year
- Conor McGregor is one of the highest-paid celebrities in the world, according to Forbes.
- The Irish UFC fighter only fought once in the last 12 months, but has struck it rich outside the cage with his Proper No. Twelve whiskey brand and plenty of endorsement deals.
- Forbes estimates McGregor to have earned $35 million from fighting, and $12 million from sponsorship agreements.
- Visit Business Insider's home page for more stories.
Conor McGregor has been named one of the world's highest-paid celebrities for 2019 even though he only fought once last year.
The Irish UFC fighter was ranked 65th in a rich list Forbes published on Wednesday, which recognized an estimated $47 million he earned for the preceding 12 months.
McGregor is most famous for possessing a tongue as sharp as his famed left cross punch. The way he clapped back at rival fighters in pre-fight press conferences led to many viral moments, while his ability to seemingly concuss an opponent at will produced as many highlight-reel moments in sport.
These combined assets led to a wild marketability as a pay-per-view (PPV) star, contributing to many of UFC's best-selling fights of all time.
His 2018 submission loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov generated 2.5 million PPV sales and is the third best-selling event in combat sports history.
Even though he was so conclusively beaten, Forbes reports that he received a base salary of $3 million, and that the success of the PPV meant his total fight pay exceeded $30 million.
McGregor has not fought since that bout, but has worked on the promotion and marketing of his popular Proper No. Twelve whiskey brand.
Business Insider was told the brand sold almost 200,000 cases in its first six months of trading, and has plans to release more expressions in the months and years ahead as it looks to close the gap on Jameson.
As well as Proper No. Twelve, his August McGregor clothing line, his McGregor FAST workout program, and his MacLife website, McGregor is sponsored by blue-chip brands like Beats, Monster Energy, and Burger King.
Forbes estimates McGregor to have earned approximately $15 million through his endorsements deals.
McGregor said he was walking away from combat sports earlier in the year, but though he appeared to go back on that retirement statement, he has no opponent lined up and it is unclear whether he will compete in 2019.