Once an army of pro wrestlers responded, and the beef got all kinds of press coverage from media outlets large and small, it was probably a foregone conclusion Conor McGregor’s promo barrage on WWE would continue.
Maybe that his rematch against Nate Diaz at UFC 202 is occurring on SummerSlam weekend has something to do with it. Or maybe the Featherweight champ just likes the attention.
Well, it’s definitely that last thing. But does Dana White and UFC like one of their biggest stars drawing mainstream attention to his (at the moment) unofficial feud with another organization, rather than his next main event in the Octagon?
McGregor’s latest comments, at Friday night’s media day for next Saturday’s show, aren’t going to quell the fires...
Feeding off the numerous shot fired by current and retired pro wrestlers, McGregor came for pro wrestling again - starting at the top:
What's the main guy? John Cena, He's 40, he's 40 years of age. He's walking around in a luminous orange t-shirt and a headband talking about how nobody can see him, we can see him right there. He's a big fat, 40-year-old failed Mr. Olympia motherf*cker.
The Notorious One also took umbrage at Ric Flair, who accused him of co-opting his “Nature Boy” gimmick and holding up guys with an amateur wrestling background like Dolph Zigger as pro grapplers who could kick Conor’s ass:
I don't know what to say to Ric Flair. This ain't no gimmick, this is the real sh*t. I've got to get in and fight a man for real. With no script, with no nothing. He was talking about bringing some other wrestler guys out to challenge me, come bring it then. This is the real sh*t over here, if you want to come over we can fight no problem. A few of them are talking about the street and all. If they want to do that, come at me and see what happens.
McGregor continued to draw a line between the “dons” of WWE (not coincidentally, a designation he applies to anyone who would sign his checks should/when this beef enters the squared circle) and the current roster of “dweebs” (who, also not coincidentally, he could enter into a big money feud with should he crossover, temporarily or permanently, to the world of scripted exhibitions):
Like I said, no disrespect to the dons of the game, the McMahons.
Vinny Mac is a f*cking legend. They wrote Vinny off a few years ago when he dropped from the billions and then he rose back up and now he's back in the billionaire club. What he's been able to do with that bunch of dweebs he has over there at the moment has been phenomenal and I respect him for that. And then of course the OGs of the game, The Rock, Stone Cold, they're all cool motherf---ers. Even Ric Flair is a cool motherf---er.
I'm just speaking the truth. That new age, those guys are absolute dweebs. They just seem messed up in the head. I don't know what it is. When I listen to them talk, when I listen to them carry themselves, they just don't seem right in the head.
Now we wait and see if the wrestling world responds again. Given his profile and demeanor, it seems unlikely Cena will fire back in anything other than a humorous way, but the longer this goes on, the more he and other high-profile WWE names are going to be asked about it...
Stay tuned.