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Conor McGregor has undoubtedly been the most marketable UFC performer for several years now. He regularly trends toward the top of Forbes' highest paid athletes list and figures to do so for some time.
McGregor's rise to superstardom was meteoric and it quite possibly may never be replicated. His successes both in and out of the octagon are now well-documented, but that's not to say he's left a simple blueprint to follow.
McGregor's talent inside the cage, his charisma on the microphone, his look and faithful following of die-hard Irish fans were just some of the factors it took to propel 'The Notorious' beyond any glass ceiling.
Each UFC fighter should aspire to approach McGregor's financial success, regardless of how people may feel about his controversies.
That stated, there does finally appear to be a crop of fighters successfully building their own brands. Here's a look at five of the brightest.
#5. Sean O'Malley
Sean O'Malley is in many ways the leader of the new generation of UFC fighters. He has cultivated a strong fan base and has a number of projects outside the octagon that create income and keep his name in people's mouths.
He is also incredibly entertaining when competing and has managed to create a big- fight feel for his bouts despite fighting mostly lesser-known opponents.
Each fighter on this list has found a way to make each of their fights feel special and O'Malley is no exception. The slow increase in the level of O'Malley's competition has even heightened intrigue in the future of his career.
O'Malley has over a million Instagram followers and his own Youtube channel, podcast and merchandise. Should he continue delivering winning results in his fights, he has the potential to make a significant amount of money.
The only factor keeping O'Malley from ranking higher on this list is that he's not as far into his UFC career as the others to follow.
#4. Jorge Masvidal
Masvidal for a long time didn't get the respect he deserved and was seen by some as a glorified UFC journeyman. However, a monster 2019 made him a legit star and one of the most popular fighters on roster.
2019 saw Masvidal beat Darren Till in London and then confront his next opponent Leon Edwards backstage. Next, he produced one of the most viral knockouts in UFC history with his flying knee against Ben Askren.
Masvidal wasn't done there and faced Nate Diaz in a huge main event at UFC 244. That bout for the symbolic "BMF" title was incredibly popular, and when Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson placed the belt around Masvidal's waist, 'Gamebred' cemented himself as one of the most marketable UFC battlers.
Masvidal's popularity has allowed him to take on a number of projects away from the octagon. He started his own bare-knuckle MMA promotion called Gamebred Fighting Championship and is a partner with Recuerdo Mezcal.
#3. Nate Diaz
Nate Diaz's popularity has definitely benefitted from his rivalry with Conor McGregor, but the Stockton native is a huge star in his own right. 'The Stockton Bad Boy' has been authentic throughout his illustrious career and he deserves his cult-like following.
While Diaz was already a popular fighter following his early career success, as mentioned, Nate's stock soared during his Conor McGregor rivalry. Both men reaped benefits from that heated feud.
Diaz has been able to captialize on his success with a number of smart business moves. He and his brother created their own CBD company called Game Up Nutrition and Nate is also the official spokesperson for Lodi Vintners, a California-based winery.
While Diaz can be unpredictable, his at-times strained relationship with the UFC brass only endears himself further to the fans. With just one fight left on his contract, Diaz could become a highly sought-after free agent should he hit the market.
#2. Israel Adesanya
Israel Adesanya has become one of the most marketable UFC fighters largely due to his kick-boxing style. His ability to end the fight with a single strike has led to must-watch moments that attract plenty of fans.
On top of this, Adesanya is incredibly charismatic. His interviews are consistently entertaining and his ring-walks are full of showmanship. His social media channels are also very popular even if he does get himself into frequent online trouble.
Comedy aside, 'The Last Stylebender' blazed the ranks to become UFC champion and he still makes top challengers look ordinary.
Parlaying his UFC dominance, Adesanya has attracted big sponsors including athletic apparel and footwear company Puma. He also recently launched his own energy drink, partnering with Kill Cliff to create their new 'Tekilla Kiwi' flavor.
Should Adesanya maintain this combination of strong UFC performances and high levels of entertainment outside of it, who knows how big a star he may become.
#1. Francis Ngannou
You only need to take one look at Francis Ngannou to understand he is a star. The heavyweight champion's ridiculous physique would likely be enough in itself to get plenty of attention if he weren't also the most dangerous man on the planet.
Ngannou has been faultless in his recent UFC fights and his terrifying knockout victories have made a lot of headlines. On top of this he is incredibly well-spoken and his rags-to-riches story is hollywood movie ready.
While some may not flock to his relaxed attitude, his ability to stay out of trouble is very attractive to brands looking to work with him. While other UFC fighters have found success with outlandish antics, there is certainly something to be said for only being in the news for positive reasons.
Ngannou sports a variety of endorsements and even featured as a villain in the recent Fast and Furious 9 film. Big moves like this indicate he is right on the verge of true mainstream stardom -like Conor McGregor.
Ngannou has the chance to become an even bigger star in his upcoming UFC title unification fight against Cyril Gane. If he wins, he could be set for a long and lucrative reign at the top of the division.
Poll : Will anyone of these fighters become bigger stars than Conor McGregor?
Yes
No
68 votes
