UFC welterweight Stephen Thompson has conceded Conor McGregor's life of fame and fortune must be "tiring".
McGregor is considered the poster boy of the UFC and has generated the most revenue in the promotion's history. He earned a whopping $180million last year, making him the richest sportsperson in 2021, despite suffering back-to-back defeats against Dustin Poirier.
And Thompson has sympathy for McGregor's lack of privacy during his time in the limelight, and believes it must have an impact on his family life. "I'm not even on his level and I can enjoy my day but when it comes to that it has got to be tiring," Thompson said on his YouTube channel. "Especially having and trying to have a family. On top of that, privacy for your kids, privacy for your honey.
"Oh just eyes on you at all times. And not always good, that's what you got to worry about. You've got bad people. But $43 million last year I'd take that although he did snap his shin in half. Good for him though."
McGregor has been involved in eight of the UFC's top 10 pay-per-views with his clash against Khabib Nurmagomedov topping the list. He also took on boxing legend Floyd Mayweather in 2017 in a fight which earned him around $100m.
The 33-year-old has a net worth of around $200m which has been significantly boosted following the sale of a majority share in his whiskey company Proper Twelve, although his inactivity has seen him slump to 35th in this year's Forbes rich-list after earning £34.5m since May 2021.
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McGregor remains one of the most talked-about fighters in the sport and has been called out by Charles Oliveira and Michael Chandler. However his recent weight increase to 190lb has led to McGregor's decision to eye a return at 170lbs.
Former UFC double-champion Henry Cejudo believes the star could be stuck in his own fame despite his plan to become champion in a third weight class. “ Conor McGregor in 2016, he did walk that walk," Cejudo said. "But guess what man, his persona is over, he’s not that dude anymore. People know that it’s just an act and he doesn’t have that juice no more.
"To me, he’s just a dude that at one point was able to manipulate himself to world titles and people bought into it. He won’t get better, he’s stuck in his own fame. That’s my two cents on Conor McTapper."
