Conor Anthony McGregor was born on July 14, 1988, in Dublin, Ireland, and raised in the Crumlin area of the city. Before committing to fighting full time, he trained as an apprentice plumber, a background he has referenced repeatedly throughout his career as a contrast to his current wealth. McGregor began training in mixed martial arts at Straight Blast Gym Ireland under coach John Kavanagh, who remained his head coach throughout his rise to the top of the sport.

McGregor built his early reputation on the European regional MMA circuit, most notably with the promotion Cage Warriors, before signing with the UFC in 2013. He quickly became one of the promotion’s biggest draws thanks to a string of highlight-reel knockout victories combined with a brash, outspoken public persona that set him apart from the sport’s typically reserved champions. His rise culminated in a stunning 13-second knockout of Jose Aldo to win the UFC featherweight title in 2015, followed by a lightweight title win over Eddie Alvarez in 2016 that made him the first fighter in UFC history to hold two titles in different weight classes simultaneously.

Photo: Andrius Petrucenia on Flickr (Original version) UCinternational (Crop) via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

In August 2017, McGregor crossed over into professional boxing for a heavily promoted exhibition against Floyd Mayweather Jr. He lost the fight by TKO, but the bout reportedly earned him a purse well over $100 million, making it one of the largest single-fight paydays in combat-sports history regardless of the outcome. He returned to the UFC with a win over Donald Cerrone in January 2020, then fought a trilogy of bouts against Dustin Poirier in 2021, the third of which ended when McGregor suffered a broken leg. He has not returned to competition since, though he has repeatedly discussed comeback plans through 2025 and 2026 while dealing with injury recovery and various legal matters.

Photo: Andrius Petrucenia via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

For much of the past decade, McGregor has ranked among the UFC’s highest pay-per-view earners, with his headline bouts consistently driving some of the promotion’s biggest buy-rate numbers. His single-fight income has varied enormously depending on activity level — his Mayweather boxing purse alone reportedly exceeded the combined earnings of most fighters’ entire careers — meaning his annual income has fluctuated sharply between active fight years and periods away from competition.

McGregor’s fight purses have long been among the largest in UFC history, with his biggest single payday coming from the 2017 Mayweather boxing crossover rather than a traditional MMA bout. His UFC contract terms across his championship run were never fully disclosed, but his status as the promotion’s top pay-per-view draw for years gave him significant leverage in purse and bonus negotiations relative to other fighters on the roster.

Beyond fight purses, McGregor has built a substantial endorsement and licensing portfolio tied closely to his personal brand, including apparel, training gear, and various sponsorship arrangements typical of a top-tier combat-sports star. However, the bulk of his post-fighting wealth has come not from endorsing other companies’ products but from building and selling his own — most notably his Irish whiskey label, which became far more significant to his overall fortune than any single sponsorship deal.

McGregor founded the Irish whiskey brand Proper No. Twelve in 2018, named after his native Dublin postal district. The brand grew quickly on the strength of his global fanbase, and in 2021 he sold a majority stake to spirits company Proximo Spirits in a deal reported to be worth up to $600 million in total, with McGregor’s own share of the proceeds widely reported in the region of $150 million to $200 million. Beyond the whiskey business, McGregor has also launched McGregor FAST, a fitness and nutrition supplement brand, owns the Black Forge Inn pub in Dublin, and holds various real estate investments.

McGregor owns a mansion at a golf estate in Ireland, along with property in Marbella, Spain. His asset collection also includes a superyacht nicknamed “The 188” and an extensive collection of luxury cars, both of which he has frequently showcased publicly, reflecting the high-profile lifestyle that has become part of his brand.