10 Reasons Conor McGregor Would Become WWE's Franchise Player

3. A Ready-Made Story

Conor McGregor coming to WWE is a ridiculously easy story to tell. There’s his pre-existing bad blood with guys like John Cena and Roman Reigns, sure, but MMA’s surging popularity has made the UFC WWE’s biggest rival since WCW folded. McGregor would be seen as an invader coming over from WWE’s strongest competition, thus providing the foundation.

Wrestling vs. MMA is incredibly straightforward. McGregor believes his sport is “real,” wrestling is “fake,” and in his own words, he’d be coming to WWE to “slap the head off your entire roster.” This gives him not only motivation for showing up on WWE television, but also the incentive to keep going, prove himself right, and rub WWE’s face in the muck whenever he triumphs.

WWE don’t want to bulldoze the fourth wall and have McGregor completely expose the sport’s “fakeness,” of course. There’ll be a few concessions along the way, but fans aren’t stupid, and with WWE programming leaning heavily on reality-based stories in recent years, Conor McGregor vs. the WWE roster slots right in. In this story, WWE would have a golden opportunity to right the Invasion angle’s depressing wrongs, albeit on a smaller scale. How could they possibly say “no” to that?

Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.