UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor’s network of A-list celebrity pals continues to grow, this time with arguably the world’s greatest footballer Cristiano Ronaldo.
Currently in Las Vegas enjoying some down time coming off a successfully captaining Portugal to the Euro 2016 Championships trophy in France, Ronaldo took time out to drop in on the Irishman who’s currently preparing for a rematch against Nate Diaz at UFC 202 on August 20th.
“My brother Ronaldo dropped by the gym today,” said McGregor via Instagram. “He is an animal. Thank you Cristiano, much respect! I will see you for that Forbes number 1 spot next year.”
What McGregor was referring to is Forbes’ top 100 highest paid athletes list, which the magazine publishes annually every June. In the 2016 list, Forbes estimated Ronaldo’s earnings to have topped $88 million clinching the #1 spot.
MMA, meanwhile, had one solo representative in the top 100 and that was McGregor who came in at 85 where Forbes estimated his earnings to have hit $22 million, which was broken down as $18 million coming from salary / winnings and $4 million from endorsements with the likes of Reebok, Monster Energy, Bud Light and Electronic Arts to name a few.
McGregor has his work cut out and will have some way to go to replace Ronaldo at the top of te list. For some perspective, this year, the highest placed combat sports athlete was Floyd Mayweather who was ranked at #16 with $44 million.
