McGregor 4th highest paid athlete on Earth in 2018, FMJ #1

Each year Forbes magazine compiles a list of the highest-paid athletes in the world. Former UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor came in at fourth. ironically, McGregor is the former UFC champ because he opted to box instead, which is why he moved from #24 in 2017 to #4 this year.

Mayweather upset Cristiano Ronaldo, who won the previous two years. It was the fourth time in seven years that Mayweather was #1. In the past 18 years, only three athletes have held the #1 spot – Mayweather, Ronaldo, and Tiger Woods.

The top 100 athletes cumulatively collected $3.8 billion, a 23% bump from last year, but not quite enough to have bought the UFC.

While women fighters in the UFC compete under absolutely identical rules and contracts, for identical purses to those men received, other sports are not nearly as evolved. There are no women on the list this year.

Athletes from eleven sports made the top 100:
NBA (40)
NFL (18)
Baseball (14)
Soccer (9)
Golf (5)
Boxing, Tennis (4)
Racing (3)
Cricket, UFC/McGregor boxing, Track (1)
NHL, NASCAR (0)

Name • Income • (Winnings/Endorsements) • Sport
#1 Floyd Mayweather $285 ($275/$10) Boxing
#2 Lionel Messi $111 ($84/$27) M Soccer
#3 Cristiano Ronaldo $108 ($61/$47) Soccer
#4 Conor McGregor $99 ($85/$14) Mixed Martial Arts
#5 Neymar $90 ($73/$17) Soccer
#6 LeBron James $85.5 ($33.5/$52) Basketball
#7 Roger Federer $77.2($12.2/$65) Tennis
#8 Stephen Curry $76.9($34.9/$42) Basketball
#9 Matt Ryan $67.3 ($62.3/$5) Football
#10 Matthew Stafford $59.5 ($57.5/$2) Football
#11 Kevin Durant $57.3($25.3/$32) Basketball
#12 Lewis Hamilton $51($42/$9) Auto Racing
#13 Russell Westbrook $47.6 ($28.6/$19) Basketball
#14 James Harden $46.4 ($28.4/$18) Basketball
#15 Canelo Alvarez $44.5 ($42/$2.5) Boxing
#16 Tiger Woods $43.3 ($1.3/$42) Golf
#17 Drew Brees $42.9 ($29.9/$13) Football
#18 Sebastian Vettel $42.3 ($42/$.3) Auto Racing
#19 Derek Carr $42.1 ($40.1/$2) Football
#20 Rafael Nadal $41.4 ($14.4/$27) Tennis
#20 Alex Smith $41.4 ($40.4/$1) Football
#22 Phil Mickelson $41.3 ($4.3/$37) Golf
#23 Jordan Spieth $41.2 ($11.2/$30) Golf
#24 Damian Lillard $39.2 ($26.2/$13) Basketball
#25 Anthony Joshua $39 ($32/$7) Boxing
#26 Rory McIlroy $37.7 ($3.7/$34) Golf
#27 Trumaine Johnson $37 ($36.8/$.25) Football
#28 Jimmy Garoppolo $36.2 ($36/$.2) Football
#29 Kyrie Irving $36.1 ($19.1/$17) Basketball
#30 Giannis Antetokounmpo $35.5 ($22.5/$13) Basketball
#30 Blake Griffin $35.5 ($29.5/$6) Basketball
#32 Ryan Tannehill $35.2 ($34.7/$.5) Football
#33 Von Miller $35.1 ($33.1/$2) Football
#34 Anthony Davis $34.9 ($23.9/$11) Basketball
#35 Gareth Bale $34.6 ($28.6/$6) Soccer
#35 Kei Nishikori $34.6 ($1.6/$33) Tennis
#37 Clayton Kershaw $34.5 ($33.8/$.75) Baseball
#38 Carmelo Anthony $33.2 ($26.2 /$7) Basketball
#39 Fernando Alonso $33 ($32/$1) Auto Racing
#39 Demar DeRozan $33 ($27.5/$5.5) Basketball
#41 Chris Paul $31.9 ($24.9/$7) Basketball
#42 Paul Millsap $31.8 ($31.3/$500) Basketball
#42 Dwyane Wade $31.8 ($17.8/$14) Basketball
#44 Klay Thompson $31.1 ($18.1/$13) Basketball
#45 Usain Bolt $31 ($1/$30) Track
#46 Gordon Hayward $30.8 ($29.8/$1) Basketbal
#47 David Price $30.7 ($30/$.650) Baseball
#48 Kyle Lowry $30.5 ($29/$1.5) Basketball
#49 Albert Pujols $30.3 ($29.3/$1) Baseball
#50 Mike Conley $30 ($28.5 M $1.5) Basketball
#51 Al Horford $29.8 ($27.8/$2) Basketball
#52 Paul Pogba $29.5 ($25/$4.5) Soccer
#53 Justin Verlander $29.4 ($28.4/$1) Baseball
#54 Miguel Cabrera $29.2 ($28.7/$.5) Baseball
#55 Kirk Cousins $28.4 ($26.9/$1.5) Football
#56 Oscar $27.4 ($25.9/$1.5) Soccer
#57 Paul George $27.1 ($19.6/$7.5) Basketball
#58 Dwight Howard $27 ($23.5/$3.5) Basketball
#58 Wayne Rooney $27 ($22/$5) Soccer
#60 Jrue Holiday $26.9 ($26.7/$.25) Basketball
#60 Kevin Love $26.9 ($22.9/$4) Basketball
#60 Luis Suarez $26.9 ($19.9/$7) Soccer
#63 Felix Hernandez $26.7 ($26.3/$.4) Baseball
#64 Mike Trout $26.4 ($23.9/$2.5) Baseball
#65 Chris Bosh $26.3 ($25.3/$1) Basketball
#66 Justin Thomas $26 ($21/$5) Golf
#67 C.J. McCollum $25.8 ($23.8/$2) Basketball
#68 Eli Manning $25.5 ($18.5/$7) Football
#69 DeAndre Hopkins $25.3 ($24.1/$1.2) Football
#69 Otto Porter, Jr. $25.3 ($24.8/$.5) Basketball
#71 Yoenis Cespedes $25.2 ($24.7/$.5) Baseball
#72 Gennady Golovkin $25 ($23/$2) Boxing
#72 Buster Posey $25 ($21.5/$3.5) Baseball
#74 Bradley Beal $24.9 ($23.9/$1)M Basketball
#74 Andre Drummond $24.9 ($23.9/$1) Basketball
#76 Harrison Barnes $24.6 ($23.1/$1.5) Basketball
#77 Davante Adams $24.5 ($24/$.5) Football
#77 Hassan Whiteside $24.5 ($23.8/$.75) Basketball
#79 Stephon Tuitt $24.4 ($24.2/$.2) Football
#80 Sam Bradford $24.3 ($24.1/$.25) Football
#81 Zack Greinke $24.2 M ($24.1/$.50) Baseball
#82 Chandler Parsons $24.1 ($23.1/$1) Basketball
#83 Virat Kohli $24 ($4/$20) Cricket
#84 Marc Gasol $23.7 ($22.7/$1) Basketball
#84 DeAndre Jordan $23.7 ($22.7/$1) Basketball
#86 Steven Adams $23.5 ($22.5/$1) Basketball
#86 Sergio Agüero $23.5 ($17/$6) Soccer
#86 Novak Djokovic $23.5 ($1.5/$22) Tennis
#86 Joe Mauer $23.5 ($23/$.5) Baseball
#86 J.J. Redick $23.5 ($23/$.5) Basketball
#91 Joey Votto $23.4 ($23.1/$.3) Baseball
#92 Jarvis Landry $23.2 ($22.5/$.75) Football
#92 Nate Solder $23.2 ($23.1/$.1) Football
#92 John Wall $23.2 ($18.2/$5) Basketball
#95 LaMarcus Aldridge $23.1 ($21.6/$1.5) Basketball
#95 Robinson Cano $23.1 ($22.1/$1) Baseball
#95 Brook Lopez $23.1 ($22.6/$.5) Basketball
#95 Masahiro Tanaka $23.1 ($22.1/$1) Baseball
#99 Melvin Ingram $23 ($22.8/$150) Football
#100 Nicolas Batum $22.9 ($22.4/$500) Basketball