Author: Chandra Moulee Das
Paul Heyman, the manager of WWE superstar Roman Reigns, recently took a look at Conor McGregor, one of the biggest names in the world of mixed martial arts. Heyman made a comment about McGregor being a Reigns “wannabe”, which prompted a response from the Irishman.
Heyman’s comments obviously didn’t please ‘The Notorious’, who responded with a cold threat, writing on his Twitter account: “Careful Grandpa. I’ll show up and break your jaw in 3 places.”
This exchange between the two personalities took place amid rumors that the UFC’s parent company, Endeavor Group, was in negotiations to acquire a majority stake in the WWE. A recent CNBC report suggested that the UFC and WWE should form a new publicly traded company as part of their deal with the Endeavor Group. While Endeavor would own 51% of the new company, WWE shareholders would own 49%.
Conor McGregor’s comments draw the ire of WWE stars.
McGregor, known for his debauched presence on social media, congratulated the UFC on the new deal and made a comment that angered many WWE fans. He said he would “slap the entire WWE roster upside the head”, which drew the ire of stars such as Chris Jericho, Kofi Kingston and Roman Reigns.
He wrote: “I meant no disrespect to @wwe fans. What I meant was that I would slap their entire roster upside the head. And twice on Sunday.”
Reigns, in particular, reacted to McGregor, pointing out his size advantage over the Irishman. “You’re the size of my leg. Shut up,” he retorted.
On Sunday, at WrestleMania 39, Reigns put his WWE Universal title on the line against Royal Rumble winner Cody Rhodes. Heyman played a vital role in the finishing sequence, distracting the referee while an interfering Solo Sikoa hit the Samoan Spike on Rhodes. It remains to be seen whether there will be more episodes in this exchange between Heyman and McGregor.