Forbes Lists 2 Boxers and 0 MMA Fighters in 2026 Top 50 as Ronaldo Leads at $300 Million
Updated
Updated · MMA Fighting · May 25
Forbes Lists 2 Boxers and 0 MMA Fighters in 2026 Top 50 as Ronaldo Leads at $300 Million
5 articles · Updated · MMA Fighting · May 25
$300 million put Cristiano Ronaldo atop Forbes' 2026 highest-paid athletes list for a fourth straight year, while combat sports produced only two top-50 entries and no MMA fighters.
$170 million ranked Canelo Alvarez No. 2 overall, driven largely by fight purses, and Jake Paul placed No. 23 at $70 million after two lucrative 2025 bouts.
$54.6 million was enough for Jannik Sinner to take the final No. 50 spot, underscoring how far MMA earnings fell short for a second consecutive year.
Conor McGregor remains the clearest path back for MMA after previously making the list through boxing and business windfalls; his July 11 UFC 329 return could shape the 2027 rankings.
Why do winning champions like Terence Crawford miss rich lists while their defeated opponents secure top spots?
Is Jake Paul's 'fighter-first' model the future, or an unsustainable challenge to the UFC's established empire?
As Netflix enters the ring, will its streaming power finally force a pay revolution across all combat sports?