Forbes Magazine has released a list of the world’s highest-paid athletes with UFC fighter Conor McGregor taking out the top spot.
At a whopping US$180 million earned over the past year, the 32-year-old dethroned tennis star Roger Federer whose knee injury kept him out of action for most of 2020.
The mixed martial arts fighter skyrocketed up the rankings, jumping up 15 spots year on year.
But it wasn’t his skills in the arena that saw McGregors gain a hefty payday, with Forbes estimating only $22 million came from his appearance at UFC 257.
The remaining millions are presumed to have come from numerous sponsorship deals topped off with the sale of his whiskey brand.
Footballers Lionel Messi and Christiano Ronaldo took out the next two spots, with Messi earning US$130 million followed by Ronaldo at US$120 million.
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