McGregor returns to UFC after five years out: net worth, Man United bid and presidency plans explained

Conor McGregor makes his UFC return against Max Holloway in Las Vegas on Saturday, ending a five-year absence from competition that began when he broke his leg during his trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier in 2021. A planned 2024 comeback was further delayed by a toe injury, and an 18-month doping ban concluded in March before this welterweight bout was confirmed.

McGregor, 37, remains one of the sport’s most consequential figures. He became the first fighter to hold two UFC world titles simultaneously across two weight classes, and his bouts with Jose Aldo, Khabib Nurmagomedov and Nate Diaz defined an era. His 2017 boxing crossover against Floyd Mayweather also stands as one of the most financially significant single-day sporting events ever staged.

What is McGregor’s net worth?

McGregor’s fortune was built across fight purses and business ventures in roughly equal measure. He reportedly earned around £37m for UFC 229 against Khabib, approximately £100m from the Mayweather bout, and a combined £41m across his final two fights with Poirier.

The defining financial moment of his career away from the cage came in 2021, when he sold his majority stake in Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey in a deal worth up to £450m — of which McGregor personally received over £100m. His other ventures include ownership of a stake in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, his Forged Irish Stout beer brand, and an acting role in Amazon Prime’s Road House reboot. Celebrity Net Worth estimates his current net worth at approximately £150m.

The Manchester United proposal

In April 2021, weeks before his leg break, McGregor used social media to float the idea of buying Manchester United, posting: “Hey guys, I’m thinking about buying Manchester United! What do you think?” The message came in the immediate aftermath of the European Super League’s collapse and was widely treated as opportunistic rather than concrete. McGregor subsequently doubled down on the sentiment, though no formal approach was ever made to the club’s then-owners, the Glazer family.

Presidential ambitions

McGregor has also publicly signalled interest in running for the Irish presidency, a role that becomes available when a candidate meets the constitutional requirements and secures nominations from county councils or members of the Oireachtas. He has not confirmed a formal candidacy but has referenced the ambition on multiple occasions during his time away from fighting.

With the doping ban now served and injuries behind him, McGregor’s focus returns to the Octagon and a fight with Holloway that will test whether his skills have survived the long layoff.