Following the merger of UFC and WWE into a new publicly traded company overseen by Endeavor Group, tensions have risen between Conor McGregor, a prominent UFC fighter, and Paul Heyman, the manager of WWE wrestler Roman Reigns.
It all started when McGregor posted a photoshopped image of himself holding the UFC and WWE belts, prompting a response from Heyman. The Irishman was labeled a “Roman Reigns wannabe” by the American promoter. This enraged Conor McGregor, who lashed out at Heymans and threatened to break his jaw.
Heyman dismissed McGregor’s ultimatum in an interview with Ariel Helwani on BT Sport, calling the Irishman “a clown” and stating he wouldn’t pick a fight with Reigns. He went on to say that, given his current lifestyle, McGregor might not live to be 57:
“I’m not a grandfather, but I appreciate the fact that I’m old enough to be one, number one, and I’m still thriving on top. I would like to see if Conor McGregor at 57 is still thriving at the very top of his entire industry. We’ll see if he’s even relevant at 57. We’ll see if he even lives to 57 with his lifestyle now, number two,”
Heyman added:
“He, as a Roman Reigns wannabe, did the Paul Heyman style, you know, title on each shoulder, and, you know, gave a shout out to himself, of course he did. You know, the ultimate self promoter in Conor McGregor, you know, standing nine feet tall and weighing 155 pounds and five foot four. So, with that in mind, I said, ‘Look at McGregor, a Roman Reigns wannabe’, and of course, you know, he said, ‘Oh, be careful grandpa. I’ll break your jaw in three places.”
Check out the interview below:
When Paul Heyman claimed that Conor McGregor would “get smashed” by Roman Reigns
Many believe that Conor McGregor would be an excellent addition to the realm of professional wrestling due to his charisma, theatrics, and fighting prowess.
‘The Notorious’ has a reputation for being a showman and has an innate ability to engage an audience. This sort of charisma is essential in WWE, where performers must interact with the crowd to engage them.
Besides, McGregor’s fame extends far beyond the realm of mixed martial arts. WWE would benefit from this crossover appeal since it would bring in new fans.
During an in-studio interview with Ariel Helwani, McGregor posed with a Money in the Bank briefcase that thrilled fight fans. However, Heyman wasn’t impressed. He reacted to the image on Twitter and wrote:
“@TheNotoriousMMA would get SMASHED just like anyone else who dares to oppose the #TribalChief @WWERomanReigns!”
Check out the tweet below:
