Conor McGregor loses $500,000 after betting on MMA match

McGregor was active on social media in the lead-up to the event at the Kaseya Center, a multi-purpose arena in Miami, Florida, on April 13.

The Irishman placed a $500,000 bet on Chandler to knock out Pimblett at the UFC 314 event. Ahead of the event, McGregor also posted a video of himself training near a tennis court, hinting at a potential comeback as he tagged both the UFC and its management company, TKO.

McGregor's bet was lost when Pimblett defeated Chandler. The event garnered significant attention, with U.S. President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk both in attendance.

A screenshot of Conor McGregor betting $500,000 that Michael Chandler will knock out Paddy Pimblett in the main event at UFC 314.

In the first round, Pimblett fought strategically, keeping Chandler at a distance with low kicks. Chandler attempted a change in tactics, managing a successful takedown, but was unable to keep Pimblett grounded as both men returned to standing.

Pimblett continued his low-kick strategy in the second round, targeting Chandler's supporting leg. The fight was temporarily stopped when Chandler accidentally landed a kick to Pimblett's groin. Once the fight resumed, Chandler attempted a grapple, but he slipped, giving Pimblett the opportunity to lock him in a chokehold and deliver elbows.

The turning point came in the fourth round when Pimblett executed a flying knee, cutting Chandler's cheek and leaving him bleeding. Pimblett then took Chandler down and landed multiple punches, prompting the referee to stop the fight and declare Pimblett the winner by technical knockout.

Pimblett's victory propelled him into the lightweight title contender ranks. After that, he took a swipe at McGregor.

"He bet Chandler would win by knockout. F** you, Conor,"* he told TNT Sports. "Come back here and fight."

Pimblett, a former Cage Warriors champion, with a 23-3 record in MMA, is ranked 12th in the UFC's lightweight division as of January 2025.

McGregor, who has not fought since injuring his ankle in his loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021, holds a 22-6 record. He has won both the UFC featherweight and lightweight titles and was the first UFC fighter to hold two titles in two weight classes simultaneously.

The 35-year-old is also the UFC's pay-per-view king, featuring in five of the highest-grossing events in the promotion's history. In 2021, McGregor was named by Forbes as the world's highest-paid athlete, earning $180 million a year after being ranked fourth with $99 million in 2018.

McGregor's rise to superstardom is largely attributed to his career in MMA, but his 2017 boxing match with "The Undefeated" Floyd Mayweather elevated him into mainstream sports fame. Although he lost the fight, McGregor earned $100 million from the exhibition bout.