Conor McGregor isn't just a fighter after UFC 205. He isn't just a history-making two-division champion, either. By this time in 2017, McGregor will be a father.
And he wants to make sure that his child can have whatever he or she wants.
Speaking with the assembled media at the UFC 205 post-fight press conference (warning, NSFW language), McGregor minced no words when discussing what he wants for his next fight. He wants more money...and a piece of the entire UFC.
"For a 28-year-old on top of the game. I can keep going all day. But I'm aware of my worth. I've got a kid on the way," he said (h/t Jason Nawara of Champions.co for the transcription). He elaborated:
I'm happy to come and continue to do what I'm doing. I'm the highest paid already, but when I look at what you're taking in, and I look at the list of what they're bringing. You want me to stick around and pay off that debt, bring me on board. I need to be set for life as an owner. An equity stake in the company. That's what I'm looking for.
One of the biggest stories in sports this year was the sale of the UFC. Owned for over a decade by casino moguls Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta under the banner of Zuffa, LLC, the UFC was handed over to talent agency WME | IMG for a whopping $4 billion.
While that news was met with shock by the mainstream sports universe, the reaction in the MMA world was that of frustration, with many fighters annoyed that they make as little as $10,000 to compete at events that gross millions. McGregor, despite living a life of luxury, isn't making his fair share, either.
In September, McGregor indicated that he will make around $40 million in 2016, which sounds like a lot until one considers how much revenue his fights generate in comparison to the rest of the roster. When one looks over how his three bouts this year have generated well over $30 million at the box office alone (which doesn't include any kind of broadcast revenue), it's hard to disagree with him wanting more.
Though demanding a stake in the company may sound absurd to longtime MMA fans, it's worth noting that WME | IMG isn't holding UFC equity as tightly as Zuffa did. The Wall Street Journal reported in September that 23 celebrities—ranging from talk show host Conan O'Brien to New England Patriots QB Tom Brady and Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine—now own a piece of the UFC. McGregor could very well join them.
It's hard to guess what will happen from here. McGregor and the UFC have publicly and, according to reports from B/R's Jeremy Botter (h/t Off The Ball), privately butted heads for a while now, and it could mean the two parties are in for an ugly series of negotiations in the near future.
With a baby on the way, though, McGregor will have plenty on his plate, regardless of what happens with his fighting career.
