Conor McGregor and Paul Heyman get into heated exchange amid UFC-WWE merger
UFC star Conor McGregor and longtime WWE talent Paul Heyman were involved in a Twitter exchange on Sunday, amid reports of a UFC-WWE merger.
McGregor posted an image holding the UFC and WWE world titles simultaneously, in which Paul Heyman called the MMA star a “Roman Reigns wannabe.”
“Careful Grampa. I’ll show up and break your jaw in 3 places,” McGregor replied.
Reigns, who successfully defeated Cody Rhodes at Wrestlemania 39 on Sunday, is the current WWE world heavyweight champion.
It was confirmed on Monday that Endeavor, the company that owns the UFC, purchased WWE to combine the mixed martial arts and professional wrestling companies into one publicly traded entity.
The deal places the UFC’s and WWE’s value at $12.1 billion and $9.3 billion, respectively.
“Together, we will be a $21+ billion live sports and entertainment powerhouse with a collective fanbase of more than a billion people and an exciting growth opportunity,” WWE Executive Chairman Vince McMahon said in a press release. “I, along with the current WWE management team, look forward to working closely with [Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel] and the Endeavor and UFC teams to take the businesses to the next level.”
The UFC-WWE merger could lead to more crossovers between MMA and pro wrestling.
Many athletes including Brock Lesnar, Ronda Rousey, Matt Riddle and Ken Shamrock, to name a select few, have competed in both the UFC and WWE.
The Twitter exchange with Heyman isn’t the first time McGregor has gone back-and-forth with a WWE star. In 2016, he was called out by multiple wrestlers, including Reigns, for unkind comments towards them.
With the UFC-WWE merger finalized, McGregor, who’s competed in MMA and boxing, could attempt success in a third sport by competing in a WWE ring.
More must-reads: