It all began in the attitude era, that glorious halcyon period of the late 1990s so fondly remembered by an entire generation of WWE fanatics. The seemingly never-ending feud between the rebellious Stone Cold Steve Austin and the evil businessman persona of owner Vince McMahon (as “Mr. McMahon”) reflected in no small part the evolution of professional wrestling’s corporate agenda, as a perceived foil to the true spirit of the sport. McMahon, as shrewd and calculating a businessman in real life as he appeared in character, could not fail to capitalize on this and duly adopted the famous “billionaire strut” upon entering the ring.
McGregor influenced early on
The exaggerated semi-march, accompanied by the “Corporation Theme”, was a simple device – but one which successfully underlined his villainous persona, and contributed to the WWE’s eventual eclipsing of its rival WCW in television ratings.
Amongst those growing up at the height of the attitude era was Conor McGregor, who (according to Sherdog) currently boasts an MMA record of 21 wins and 3 losses and now, two decades on, the fighting Irishman has adopted McMahon’s famous walk. For McGregor, it is the strongest hint yet that he may, sooner than many believe, one day make a lucrative transition into the world of professional wrestling. His transition may be propelled irreversibly by the fact that he was stripped of his UFC featherweight belt in November, to Jose Aldo’s benefit. Indeed, the sight of Jose Aldo, an 8/11 favorite with Betway Sports to defend his belt against Max Holloway, headlining UFC 212 could easily tip the hot-headed McGregor over the edge.
The man, the mouth and the mirth
Certainly, there are precedents for a UFC fighter to make the transition to professional wrestling. Once linked to an MMA bout with Kurt Angle, Ken Shamrock stands as a prime example of a successful transition between the fighting disciplines. With the UFC now far evolved from the (in hindsight) farcical event that was UFC 1 – in which Shamrock was a participant – such a transition should prove easy for the talented, popular, marketable and supremely confident McGregor. It is not merely the “strut” adopted by McGregor which has set such ideas alight. As Shamrock did in his own heyday, McGregor is presently the biggest PPV draw in combat sports at present, according to Forbes.
Certainly, where his personality in promos is concerned, McGregor seems an apt fit for the WWE – although he would need to moderate his language by some distance if he wanted to remain on the roster for very long. His highly vocal approach to promos has already created a potential storyline for the WWE. Last year, he successfully alienated himself from the entire WWE roster – although he’s a recent Hall of Fame entrant – by speaking in very disparaging terms of their toughness, which he believes pales in comparison to that demanded by the UFC.
The incomparable Conor McGregor engages in psychological warfare with his opponent ahead of a big-selling UFC 205.
Stylin’ and profilin’
Much can be made of McGregor’s personality, and how well it relates to the WWE, but questions can be raised about how his fighting style would translate to the squared circle, since it is common knowledge that McGregor’s greatest strength lies in striking and going straight for his opponent. Undeniably, it would be an asset in events like the Royal Rumble, which come with a dramatic context that demands showmanship and readiness for combat. However, unlike the aforementioned Ken Shamrock, he is not accustomed to defeating opponents through groundwork and submission. Then there is a far more obvious flaw in any plan McGregor might have to join the WWE – namely his lack of experience in acrobatics. For the seasoned fan, there can be no greater draw than to see a wrestler finish his opponent with a devastating drop from the turnbuckle.
In every era of the WWE, from Jimmy Snuka to Rey Mysterio Jr, loyal fans have paid to see high-flyers defy death (or serious injury) in the name of entertainment, but in the octagonal cage of UFC, no such opportunities are afforded to fighters. If McGregor is indeed to enjoy the same stature as WWE’s greatest, he must be certain to work on his ability to entertain physically, as well as on the mic, before signing on a dotted line that could make or break his integrity as a professional wrestling warrior.
