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Conor McGregor recently lost to Dustin Poirier by a technical knockout in the second round of their lightweight fight at the UFC 257 event. Despite talks of retirement, McGregor made his return to the Octagon for the first time since January of 2020.
McGregor's first-ever loss via technical knockout was certainly a surprising result for many viewers, and UFC president Dana White said that the Irishman could now grind for a comeback or call it a day as a mixed martial artist.
WWE RAW Superstar Sheamus recently implied in an interview that Conor McGregor's potential jump to the land of sports entertainment is a very likely possibility, and it's all a matter of when it will happen:
"He's teased [coming to WWE] a couple of times. He's still staying active, he's a lad who's won belts, he's done a lot, so I think he's that type of person who's always trying to try his hand at something different. I think WWE would suit him down to the ground. You know, we've had a lot of people come in and out, Mayweather came in, a lot of celebrities have come in, a lot of sportspeople. So I don't think anyone would raise eyebrows if he came in to WWE. I don't think it's if, I think it's a matter of when to be honest."
Just like many famous mixed martial artists, The Notorious One could prove to be a valuable crossover star in WWE. If or when the transition may take place, here are five potential directions for Conor McGregor in WWE.
#5. Conor McGregor could step up to Brock Lesnar in the land of sports entertainment
Back during a UFC 202 media call, Conor McGregor fired shots towards WWE and UFC crossover stars like Brock Lesnar and CM Punk. McGregor said the following about Lesnar's stint in UFC:
"Fair play to Brock [Lesnar]; he got in and fought, but at the end of the day, he was juiced up to the [expletive] eyeballs. How can I respect that?"
While The Beast Incarnate is currently not under a WWE contract, it is likely that he may once again sign with the company in the near future. Brock Lesnar has established himself as one of the most commercially successful UFC-WWE crossover stars of all time, which is why a potential clash between Lesnar and McGregor would attract a lot of mainstream attention.
The aforementioned match could certainly be the perfect fit for the Grandest Stage of Them All, WrestleMania.
#4. A match against Sheamus could end up being the perfect WWE debut for Conor McGregor
Conor McGregor and Sheamus have an Irish connection, but there could also be several possibilities to the buildup of their potential WWE match.
Sheamus and McGregor both love to brawl at any given opportunity. If The Notorious One was to enter The Celtic Warrior's territory, it wouldn't take too long for Sheamus to lash out against the UFC star.
In a recent interview with Digital Spy, Sheamus talked about a potential clash against Conor McGregor in a WWE ring:
"If he wants to come in there with me, that's grand. He might get the fight of his life there, he might get couple of slaps he's not used to. But that's what it's all about, getting in there and seeing a different type of environment."
A match against The Celtic Warrior could act as the perfect debut for Conor McGregor in WWE, as it would allow The Notorious One to flex his in-ring abilities in a relatively smaller matchup before he is ready to move on to bigger things.
Of course, this means that Sheamus will probably be booked to lose in a WWE match against Conor McGregor, but it shouldn't affect The Celtic Warrior's momentum to a huge degree. After all, there are a lot of Superstars in the locker room who would just love to step into the mainstream spotlight against McGregor, irrespective of the outcome.
#3. Conor McGregor could directly target a top champion on RAW or SmackDown
Conor McGregor's level of star power indicates that if he were to join WWE, Vince McMahon would probably set him up for the top title picture sooner rather than later.
Drew McIntyre is the current WWE Champion, while Roman Reigns is the current Universal Champion in WWE. McIntyre and Reigns have proven to be two of the most successful stars on RAW and SmackDown, respectively.
Either top champion would probably keep tabs on Conor McGregor's WWE appearances if The Notorious One showed up on their weekly shows.
In 2020, the MMA star's company even took to Instagram to post a picture of him posing with the WWE and UFC belts.
People often say that the level of a champion determines the relevancy of a championship. Drew McIntyre and Roman Reigns have been two of the strongest champions in recent memory, so if Conor McGregor will immediately set his eyes on a top title, the match should ideally occur against either one of the aforementioned WWE stars.
Irrespective of how Conor McGregor might fare in a pro wrestling ring, a major championship match featuring The Notorious One would attract a lot of attention towards the highest tier of storylines in the wrestling entertainment world.
#2. Conor McGregor's rant against WWE from 2016 could lead to a big match against John Cena
Conor McGregor once made scathing remarks against WWE back in 2016, during the buildup to his rematch against Nate Diaz.
While The Notorious One praised the older generation of WWE legends, he seemingly had no respect for the newer talent and especially none for John Cena.
"What's the main guy? John Cena? He's 40 years of age walking around in a luminous orange t-shirt and headband talking about no one can see him. You can see him right there - he's a big fat 40-year-old failed Mr. Olympian [expletive]. Do you know what I mean? They're dweebs those guys."
John Cena hasn't appeared in a storyline following his Firefly Fun House match against Bray Wyatt at last year's WrestleMania event. Cena is busy with several Hollywood projects nowadays, so if there was a good reason for him to return to WWE, then a match against Conor McGregor could be it.
WWE storylines often incorporate past events in interesting ways, and John Cena could bring up Conor McGregor's quote during the buildup to their potential clash.
Several legends and part-time stars make often make surprising comebacks on the Road to WrestleMania season. This is because WWE needs to feature a couple of marquee matches that fans don't get to witness during any other time of the year. Conor McGregor vs. John Cena sounds like the perfect marquee matchup for The Show of Shows. McGregor could finally step up against the former face of a different organization in one of the biggest crossover matches in WWE history.
#1. Conor McGregor and Becky Lynch vs. Brock Lesnar and Ronda Rousey could be one of the biggest WWE bouts of all time
Conor McGregor's WWE debut could also take a more experimental route with a mixed tag team match.
When Ronda Rousey transitioned over to WWE as one of the biggest crossover stars from UFC, her first match occurred in a mixed tag team environment at WrestleMania 34. Not only did Rousey prove her critics wrong, but she then went on to have a dominant run in the promotion as a singles star.
A tag team setting allows relatively new WWE stars to rely on their partners, which is why WWE could take this route with Conor McGregor as well. Both Becky Lynch and Ronda Rousey haven't appeared on television for months, and the latter star is still apparently contracted to WWE. Lynch and Rousey were fierce rivals on the Road to WrestleMania 35, so could they reignite their rivalry for another WrestleMania event in the future?
Moreover, Brock Lesnar's potential feud with Conor McGregor - mentioned in the first slide - could be integrated with the women's feud to build up what could potentially end up being the biggest mixed tag team match of all time.
There is no denying that Conor McGregor is one of the most famous combat sports personalities in the modern world. If The Notorious One ever crosses over to WWE, people will tune in regardless of what direction Conor McGregor takes upon his debut in the world of sports entertainment.
Teddy Long snaps when Swerve Strickland's race is brought up HERE
