Connor McGregor. AP FILE PHOTO
Is Conor McGregor on his way to the squared circle?
The World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is more than willing to welcome “The Notorious” one after he shocked the world with his sudden talk of retirement.
The 27-year-old featherweight champ tweeted on Tuesday (Wednesday, Manila time) that he’s moving away from the Octagon. “I have decided to retire young. Thanks for the cheese. Catch ya’s later,” he said.
READ: Conor McGregor tweets he’s to ‘retire young’; Diaz responds
And the leading wrestling outfit was quick to pounce on the opportunity, as fellow Irish Becky Lynch has been relentless in telling her countryman to “#ComeJoinMeBro.”
She even took it to Instagram where she posted a picture of McGregor wearing her “100% Lass Kicker” shirt with the same caption.
The brash brawler is no stranger when it comes to the WWE, with rumors circulating that he might accompany Lynch in her triple threat match for the Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 32 in Dallas. He wrote, “I am not at Wrestlemania. I’m in me gaf. Or am I… ?”
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Even his coach John Kavanagh joined in the fun, posting an image of Hall of Famer “The Mouth of the South” Jimmy Hart and writing, “New job uniform.”
WWE acknowledged the rumors in its latest roundup video with Cathy Kelley, further spurring speculations of what could be the company’s biggest signing after already acquiring Japan circuit standouts AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura earlier in the year.
Though just standing at 5-foot-9 and weighing 170 pounds, McGregor does not fit the traditional mold of a powerhouse player. However, with the company shifting towards athletic guys rather than the usual mastodons, as evidenced by the rise of Seth Rollins, Finn Balor, and the now-retired Daniel Bryan, the Irishman would certainly be a perfect fit.
And the clamor is already growing, with his undeniable charisma, excellent mic skills, and of course, his hard-hitting style of fighting expected to draw lots of crowds in every stadium he fights in. That was in full display in his last two matches for UFC, drawing $8.1 million gate attendance in his UFC 196 duel against Nate Diaz and a record $10.1 million in his showdown against Jose Aldo at UFC 193.
However, it’s still anybody’s guess when it comes to McGregor, and everybody will be anxiously waiting for the Irish’s next moves, whether he joins another mixed martial arts outfit or he tests his mettle in the WWE ring. IDL