Conor McGregor: The Business Empire Behind Proper No. Twelve Whiskey

Conor McGregor pours another round, the amber liquid catching the light in some Vegas hotel suite, his laugh cutting through the haze of cigar smoke and fighter egos.

He's always been the showman, the one who turns a press conference into a spectacle, but these days, the octagon feels like yesterday's news. The real action brews in bottles—Proper No. Twelve, his Irish whiskey that's gone from a fighter's side hustle to a multimillion-dollar empire. McGregor founded the brand back in 2018, slapping his name on a smooth triple-distilled pour that he pushed hard, flooding his social media with shots of it in his hand, toasting wins or just the grind.^[3][2] It hit shelves amid the roar of his UFC prime, but whiskey? That's the long game, the kind where you age the story as much as the spirit.

The Hometown Pour

McGregor didn't just slap his face on a label; he built Proper No. Twelve around Crumlin, Dublin—his roots, the streets where he scrapped before the fame. Named for the neighborhood's postal code, the whiskey launched with that personal stamp, a nod to the Ireland he left but never shakes off. He talked it up right from the start, explaining the name like it was a family secret.

"It's proper Irish whiskey and twelve is my hometown."

— Conor McGregor, 2018-09-17^[6]

That launch kicked off a run that saw the brand rake in $250 million over its first two years, partnered with Proximo Spirits, the folks behind Jose Cuervo.^[3][4][5] McGregor wasn't sitting idle; he was everywhere, posting videos of pours at fights, mixing it into his trash-talk routine. You couldn't scroll his feed without seeing the bottle, glinting under arena lights or beside a stack of cash—classic Conor, turning hype into sales.

By 2021, the buzz turned into a blockbuster. Proximo snapped up a majority stake in a deal valued at up to $600 million.^[3][4][5] McGregor, along with his manager Audie Attar and business partner Ken Austin, held onto minority pieces and stayed in the mix, shaping the brand's push from Dublin distilleries to global shelves. It was his pivot from punches to pours, proving the Notorious could sell more than pay-per-views.

From Proximo to Becle—Cash Changes Hands

Fast-forward, and the empire shifts again. Becle, the Mexican giant that owns Proximo, just upped its game, buying out McGregor's remaining slice of Proper No. Twelve for around €130 million, based on a 2020 valuation that pegged the whole thing at €257 million.^[1][2] That moves their ownership from 49% to full control, wrapping up the fighter's hands-on era in a neat, lucrative bow. McGregor and Attar stand to split £112 million from it all, a payout that bumps McGregor's net worth past £300 million, with £87 million traced straight to his UFC hauls.^[1][2]

It's the kind of exit that makes you wonder about the fighter's future—less time in the gym, more in boardrooms? Proper No. Twelve exploded under his watch, but now, with Becle at the wheel, the brand's path veers into corporate waters.

The timeline lays it out clean: a quick rise, fat profits, then the handoffs. But here's the thing.

McGregor's whiskey play feels like his fighting style—bold, brash, all in.

Becle's move locks in the full takeover, but whispers swirl about what McGregor walks away with exactly. Reports peg his cut at US$155 million or £112 million, enough to double his net worth if the numbers hold, though he hasn't signed off on any of it publicly yet.^[1][2] Back in 2020, the brand allegedly sent him substantial profits beyond the eventual sale, and that £87 million from UFC? It's the only slice of his fortune sources tie directly to the cage.^[1][2] As for his spot in the business after this? Silence so far—no word on whether he'll consult, promote, or just cash the check and ghost.

The Fighter's Liquid Legacy

Dig into McGregor's world, and Proper No. Twelve stands out as more than a logo grab. He poured himself into it—literally, with those endless Instagram reels where he'd crack a bottle after a weigh-in, or mix it into post-fight rituals. The brand's triple-distilled smoothness mirrored his image: sharp, unyielding, with a kick that lingers. Early days saw it fly off shelves in the U.S., riding his fame from knockouts to knock-back shots. Proximo's backing turned it into a contender against Jameson and Bushmills, hitting that $250 million mark by 2020 through smart distribution and McGregor's relentless plug.^[3][4][5]

Attar, his right-hand man since the early Paradigm days, co-steered the ship, blending business savvy with McGregor's charisma. Austin, the liquor vet, rounded out the trio, handling the blends while Conor handled the spotlight. Post-2021 acquisition, they kept their fingers in, tweaking marketing, eyeing expansions into Europe and Asia. McGregor even tied it to his August clothing line or his watch collabs, weaving the whiskey into a web of endorsements that scream empire.

Yet the sale to Becle caps a chapter. That €130 million offer reflects a valuation from three years back, but the brand's grown since—global sales up, awards for taste piling on. McGregor's social push never let up; he'd post a pour mid-training camp, caption it with some Irish proverb twisted into motivation. It worked. Fans bought in, turning Proper into a status sip for the fight crowd and beyond.

The mechanics of it all? Becle, through Proximo, already held the reins tight at 49%, so snapping the rest feels like tidying up loose ends. McGregor and Attar's split of the proceeds—£112 million—lands them in rare air, pushing his total haul well over £300 million. Factor in the UFC millions, and it's clear: the Dubliner's not just surviving on punches anymore.

What We Couldn't Confirm

Details on the deal's final stamp remain fuzzy, with McGregor yet to confirm it publicly, leaving room for speculation on whether his net worth truly doubles from this alone or if those 2020 profits from Proper Twelve added even more layers to his bankroll beyond the sale price. The exact breakdown of that £112 million to him personally floats around US$155 million in some reports, but without his nod, it's all hearsay, and pinning just £87 million of his wealth to UFC fights overlooks the haze around his other ventures while questions linger on any ongoing role he might keep in the whiskey world after Becle takes full command.

McGregor's always chased the big swings, from the octagon to the distillery, and Proper No. Twelve delivered—$600 million deals, minority stakes turned full exits. It's a reminder that his real fight's against limits, whether leather gloves or liquor labels. As the bottles keep pouring elsewhere, you can't help but picture him raising one last glass to the empire he built, the one that outlasts the bruises. In my view, the honest read is this: whiskey suits him better than wars now—smoother finish, endless shelf life. What's his next pour? That's the shot worth watching.

Frequently asked questions

When did Conor McGregor found Proper No. Twelve whiskey?

Conor McGregor founded the Proper No. Twelve whiskey brand back in 2018.

What kind of drink is Proper No. Twelve?

Proper No. Twelve is an Irish whiskey that is triple-distilled.

How did McGregor promote Proper No. Twelve?

McGregor promoted Proper No. Twelve heavily by flooding his social media with shots of it.