McGregor auditors will go over MayMac books ‘like fooking sharks’

Conor McGregor had the happiest loss of his career, maybe of anyone’s ever, on Saturday night. He keeps his UFC title. And his brand increased to the point where UFC president Dana White said they would discuss his receiving equity in the company. And he just became one of the highest paid athletes on Earth.

MMA ordinarily employs a show-win purse formula, so when you lose, your income is cut by half. Then from that half you have to pay taxes, management, and trainer, and training expenses. Even in the UFC, after a fight you can end up an actual hundredaire. By contrast, top purses in boxing offer a far larger percent of the take, and you are paid in full to show. McGregor’s guaranteed purse was $30 million, and he may more than triple that when his cut of the pay-per-per proceeds is calculated.

Now we go into the accounting phase,’’ said McGregor at the post-fight press conference, as transcribed by Josh Peter for USA Today. I send auditors in there like f***ing sharks.’’

I don’t know how I spend it. I just carry on living my life. Carefree, with a smart mind and just enjoy life.’’

McGregor spends an estimated million dollars a year on clothes, but he appears more focused on making money than shelling it out. During the run up to MayMac, Mayweather chided McGregor for driving a rented Ferarri. But until this weekend, Mayweather didn’t have sufficient liquidity to pay $22.2 million he owes the IRS from 2015. McGregor aims to be not just rich, but wealthy.

He appeared at the press conference with a bottle of Notorious Irish Whiskey and announced he would be selling branded liquor. Sales to his fans at MayMac alone could have kept him in clothes for a long time. Shortly before the bout, McGregor announced that he would be launching a fashion line with his personal clothier, David August Heil.

There are so many ventures that are bringing in nice revenue for me,’’ said McGregor. I’m building brands. The money’s good for me. I’m very blessed and very happy I’m in the position I’m in. Right now I’m in the stage of forever money. As long as I’m tactical and make some smart decisions and don’t do nothing stupid, I’m set for life.’’

While making $100 million would appear to be guaranteeing financial success for life, the record from boxing proves that it’s not. Mike Tyson made three times that, and spent three times that. Driving a rented Ferarri while investing in branded apparel and distilled spirits shows that McGregor, like Mayweather, has his eyes wisely on the future.