MMA superstar Conor McGregor has urged sporting organizations to pay female athletes more, following the recent release of Forbes’ highest earners of the year. McGregor himself became the first MMA athlete to top the male earnings in 2021, generating an impressive $180 million between May 2020 and May 2021. Despite only fighting once during that period, McGregor secured his position at the top after selling his shares in the Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey brand.
Polish tennis star Iga Świątek topped the 2023 female athlete list, earning $23.9 million in the past year. Remarkably, nine of the top ten female athletes play tennis. Świątek became the first woman to occupy the number one spot since 2016, other than Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka. After Forbes shared their article, McGregor responded by tweeting “Women deserve to be paid more.” He pointed out the disparity between his earnings and Świątek’s, earning over five times more when he held the number one spot for male athletes.
In other news, UFC President Dana White recently provided an update on the potential return of Conor McGregor in 2024. McGregor last fought for the promotion in 2021 when he faced Dustin Poirier in their trilogy bout. Unfortunately, the fight ended prematurely as McGregor suffered a freak leg break injury requiring surgery. He later resurfaced to coach opposite Michael Chandler on The Ultimate Fighter.
Rumors have been circulating that McGregor could be facing Chandler at the upcoming UFC 300 pay-per-view event, but a confirmation is yet to be made. During a recent Instagram Live, White announced they are in talks with McGregor’s camp but have not yet reached an agreement regarding his return to the octagon. He stated, “We talked tonight. I’m in Abu Dhabi, he’s in Dubai. We’re gonna figure something out. We’re talking.”
