Conor McGregor gets bonus shares in MMA business that could be worth up to $14m

Conor McGregor, the former mixed martial arts (MMA) champion, has been given bonus shares in a new MMA business that could be worth as much as $14 million (€12.6 million), new filings show.
McGregor is a shareholder in Alta Global, a publicly listed business that has created an MMA training platform in conjunction with a number of MMA gyms around the world.
The most recent announcement shows that McGregor has signed a three-year deal to be brand ambassador for the company in order to pump up its share price.
In return for serving in that role, McGregor has struck a deal in which he will get a potential 700,000 performance share awards in the company, which will be tied to his ability to boost the company’s share price.
On signing the deal he has been given 150,000 shares, which will vest to him once the company’s share price rises to certain targets, with an upper limit of $20 a share.
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The initial tranche, at the current share price of $3.50, would be worth $525,000.
He will get another tranche of 100,000 shares when the price reaches $7.50; then 150,000 more when it reaches $10; 150,000 more when it reaches $15; and the final tranche of 150,000 when it reaches $20.
The combined total value of the shares, based on their price at the time of vesting, is about $8 million. However, in theory, if McGregor were to earn all the shares, and hold on to them until the final tranche was awarded, the full value of the award could be as high as $14 million.
McGregor already has shares in Alta Global, but the precise size of his holding has not been disclosed. When The Irish Times contacted the company, it declined to say what his holding of ordinary shares stands at.
In a statement announcing the deal, Nick Langton, the founder of Alta, said McGregor’s “involvement is a game changer for Alta Global Group”.
McGregor’s interest in the company comes through his coach, John Kavanagh, who is one of the founders of the company and a shareholder.
The Dublin fighter has proven a controversial figure in the past, with several run-ins with the law, including for assaulting a man in one of his pubs.
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McGregor has also stated that he intends to run for the presidency of Ireland, for which he would need to either get the signatures of 20 members of the Oireachtas, or get the support of four local authorities.