UFC star Conor McGregor told Cristiano Ronaldo he would beat him on Forbes rich list five years before reaching No1

CONOR MCGREGOR warned Cristiano Ronaldo seven years ago that he'd overtake him as the highest-paid athlete on Forbes' rich list.

Back in May of 2021, it was announced that the UFC's poster boy had landed at the top of the prestigious list.

The Notorious, 34, earned a whopping £128million during Forbes' financial year – despite only taking to the cage once.

A staggering £113million of that sum came from the Irishman’s selling of his majority stake in Proper 12 Whiskey.

And McGregor forecast his rise to the top of Forbes' rich list after Ronaldo dropped in on one of his training sessions for his UFC 202 rematch with Nate Diaz.

After asking Ronaldo if he "has a jet" in 2016, McGregor said: "I wanna get a jet someday.

"You were number one on the Forbes list, I was like number 35. I'll get up [there]."

After the pair broke into laughter, Ronaldo asked: "Your ranking?"

McGregor replied: "Something like that, 38 I think."

Ronaldo then informed McGregor he was "first" on the list, which promoted the Dubliner to say: "Maybe next year I'll get ya."

CASINO SPECIAL - BEST NEW CUSTOMER SIGN UP DEALS

He added: "Congratulations. But I'm about to take over the UFC now it's sold for four billi."

McGregor revealed his desire to reach the summit of Forbes' rich list ahead of his ill-fated UFC 257 rematch with Dustin Poirier.

Before breaking his leg in the octagon, he said: "I’m already a very wealthy man and it is only going to go up, make no mistake about it."

The Notorious hasn't set foot inside the cage since the horrific leg break but is eyeing a return to action against Michael Chandler later this year.