Is Conor McGregor on Forbes 2023 highest-paid athletes list? Find out which fighters made the cut

Despite being the wealthiest MMA fighter ever, Conor McGregor is not on this year's Forbes highest-paid athlete list.

The Irishman is undoubtedly the UFC's most profitable cash cow, and his influence on the sport cannot be understated. 'The Notorious' is credited with helping propel the UFC to new heights, boasting over 55 million followers on social media and headlining five of the six highest-earning pay-per-view events in promotional history.

In 2021, McGregor topped the list of highest-earning athletes with an income of $180 million, thanks to his immensely lucrative sale of the Proper No.12 Whisky brand. However, the biggest superstar in MMA wasn't among the Forbes top-ten highest-paid sportspeople of 2023.

The only combat sports athlete who made the cut was Canelo Alvarez. The undisputed champion of the super-middleweight division stands at No.5 on the list, bringing in a whopping $110 million over the past 12 months. Floyd Mayweather, a regular featured on Forbes' highest-paid athletes list for many years, was also notably absent.

Soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo tops this year's list with a reported income of $136 million. He's followed by fellow soccer superstars Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, who made $130 and $120 million, respectively. Basketball great LeBron James is fourth, with tennis legend Roger Federer listed ninth.

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Forbes highest-paid athletes: Is Conor McGregor among the highest-paid athletes of all time?

Conor McGregor may not be a part of 2023's highest-paid athletes, but the MMA megastar is certainly among the highest-paid athletes of all time and is the wealthiest fighter to ever step into the cage.

A recent Sportico report compiled the world's top 50 highest-paid athletes of all time, and 'The Notorious' is the only mixed martial artist on the list at the No.33 spot.

According to reports, Conor McGregor made an astounding $530 million over his career, which can be adjusted to $615 million due to inflation. Michael Jordan topped the rankings with $3.3 billion in lifetime earnings, with Tiger Woods at No. 2 with $2.5 billion.

McGregor's career earnings were calculated to reflect the combined amount of money he's earned from his fight purses (including pay-per-view bonuses), his 2017 boxing extravaganza against Floyd Mayweather, and the sale of the majority stake in his Proper No.12 Whiskey brand to Proximo Spirits for about $600 million.

While 'The Notorious' has been sidelined for almost two years due to a leg injury he suffered against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264, he's set to make his return this year. Conor McGregor will reprise his role as a coach on The Ultimate Fighter opposite Michael Chandler before they face off in the cage sometime later this year.