10 Reasons Conor McGregor Would Become WWE's Franchise Player
5. An Excellent Athletic Base
Aside from creative control, the biggest barrier to Conor McGregor’s success in WWE would be between the ropes. The Irishman has no professional wrestling experience whatsoever, and while wrestling might be scripted, the sport still takes a huge toll on performers’ bodies. McGregor would have a lot of learning to do, and when he stepped into the Performance Center for the first time, he’d soon realise it.
That being said, McGregor’s athletic background gives him an ideal base to build on. Though not exactly known for his ground game , his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu brown belt should allow him to pick-up some rudimental wrestling exchanges with relative ease. His striking, meanwhile, is among the best in the business, and after working with Seth Petruzelli (a former UFC fighter himself) at the PC, he’d soon find a way to make that work in pro-wrestling.
McGregor’s UFC success would bring an air of legitimacy to wrestling, and he’d be expected to make his strikes and submissions look convincing in WWE without actually hurting his opponent. That’s a fine balance, but EVOLVE’s Matt Riddle has fast become one of the best wrestlers on the American indy scene since leaving MMA. His seamless transition provides a clear blueprint for McGregor to follow, even if it’d take a lot of training.