Shoot for the stars, right?
That days of lobbying for Anderson Silva-money are long gone.
Now, it’s all about shooting for that Floyd Mayweather-type coin, as Conor McGregor says he will soon be the first and only mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter inked to a nine-figure contract.
As the interim Featherweight champion revealed during his guest spot on “The MMA Hour,” the wheels of a new deal were set in motion during the memorable “Go Big” press conference, where he lashed out at just about every fighter on stage.
His words:
“I essentially set the game on fire in that press conference and flew home to Dublin with my sweet belt and my multi-millions of dollars and I’m waiting on my next multi, nine-figure contract, which is en route. I just let everyone up there know, I let the bosses know and everybody there know what I bring and my worth. Even fights that have linked to my name are main event status. There is no other fighter in the game that has that. When fighters lose to a fighter, they are not a draw. But, when they lose to me they are draws. They can go to different regions and headline and make seven-figure revenues on the gate. That’s what I’m doing, they’re offspring numbers and nobody else would know about or really pay attention to. I pay attention to it and my name brings the numbers. if you have an association with my name, whatever the result, you will be main event slots after that because that’s what my name brings. It puts you into that spotlight. It gives you that status. I am well aware of that. These are also cards that I should have my hand in the pie, as well. I should be compensated for these cards, as well. So I just went out there and let that be known. I said it backstage, as well. The numbers rule, all the belts and that other shit, mean nothing. Everyone was handed a belt, Jose was handed a belt, they mean nothing, numbers rule in this game. I’m the ruler of the number and I let that be known.”
He continues:
“I’m still here the highest-paid. Let’s compare contracts. Because the contract that I’m talking now is nine figures, nine figures I’m talking. Nobody in the game has talked nine figures. That’s $100 million plus. That’s my contract, so, that’s where I’m at and I’ve done it the way I’ve done it. Either learn from it or don’t. When you’re bringing in $60 million revenue on a fight where the main event guy has pulled out two weeks before, you think anyone else can do that? This next one, we are estimating a gate of $10 million for the gate alone. this is going to bring in $90 to $100 million this card here. So you’re damn right I’ll get it. I came at them with fact, numbers and I didn’t go round about. I looked them dead in the eye with straight facts. When someone comes at you with clear facts, there’s only one thing you can do and that’s respect it. You got to respect good business, if you don’t respect good business, then that’s on you. i am very confident we will come to a deal and it will be in the nine-figure mark, and rightfully so.”
Those mansions and fancy suits don’t pay for themselves.
As it stands, women’s Bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey is the highest paid fighter on the UFC roster, according to “Rowdy” herself.
But, will “Notorious” soon eclipse Rousey’s deal and join the upper echelon of sports stars that command nine figures?
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