Former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor, who recently made his acting debut in the Hollywood remake of “Road House,” has expressed interest in pursuing further acting opportunities, creating a potential challenge for the UFC when negotiating a new contract, but assures that MMA will always remain his primary passion.
Conor McGregor, the ex-UFC champ, might’ve caught the acting bug. His recent Hollywood debut was alongside Jake Gyllenhaal in the remake of Road House. The film, exclusive to Amazon Prime Video, dropped on March 21.
In the movie, McGregor plays Knox, a caricature of himself and the film’s villain. His performance has been well-received. And McGregor? He loved the experience.
He was supposed to be on set for five weeks. But, as he told The MMA Hour, his character started to evolve. The part grew. The film crew liked what they saw, and McGregor did what he was told. He gave them different versions of his character.
He gave them options. Maybe they could’ve picked better ones, he thinks. But they wanted the character a certain way. They were happy with the result. McGregor added his own touch. He’s show business, after all.
McGregor, now 35, told MMA Fighting that his long-awaited comeback fight against Michael Chandler is set for the summer. He didn’t reveal the exact date, though. He’s leaving that to UFC.
Details like rounds and weight class are still up in the air. But McGregor is hopeful. He wants 2024 to be a two-fight year for him.
He’s got two fights left on his UFC contract. But he’s hinted at a dilemma. He’s interested in more acting gigs. This could complicate contract negotiations with UFC.
“We have to talk,” McGregor said. He’s not sure what UFC will offer him. But Hollywood is ready for him. He can play many roles. He could be the next Arnold Schwarzenegger or Sylvester Stallone.
He thinks he could play any role. He’s eager to do another film. He thinks he can do better. And he’s excited about the possibility of being one of the highest paid actors of 2023.
Despite his excitement for acting, McGregor insists that MMA is his first love. The fight game is in his blood. It’s his life.
“It’s what I love to do. I’m doing this forever,” McGregor said. He’ll be recalibrating his competition.
He related to Mike Tyson’s comeback fight against Roy Jones Jr. Tyson was asked what his old coach, Cus D’amato, would say about his return. Tyson said, “Cus D’amato would say, what took you so long?” McGregor got goosebumps.