Joe Rogan Says Conor McGregor Would Be 'Folk Hero' If He Kicked Floyd Mayweather

Conor McGregor would become a "folk hero" if he kicked Floyd Mayweather in their much-anticipated boxing clash August 26, according to UFC commentator Joe Rogan.

The long-rumoured crossover clash was made official last week, but it will be fought under boxing rules.

However, on his podcast The Joe Rogan Experience, Rogan envisioned a scenario in which the UFC lightweight champion McGregor brought his MMA skills to bear against the undefeated Mayweather (via MMA Fighting's Jed Meshew):

"[If McGregor kicked Mayweather], that would be f--ked up. There's probably some stipulations in the contract that say, 'You can't get him in an armbar or choke him.' [But] could you imagine? He would be a goddamn folk hero. If they got in close and Floyd was shucking and juking on the outside and he threw a jab to cover up a left high kick and that left high kick necks him? Just clang! And you see Floyd go limp—and he would go limp. He's never been high kicked like that. Jesus, that would be crazy."

UFC president Dana White confirmed to reporters after the announcement of the Las Vegas clash that McGregor, 28, is aware he will face consequences should he throw a kick at Mayweather:

"That [kicking] will not happen; it's in the contract. This is a boxing match under the Nevada commission under the rules of boxing. We talk about a guy of Floyd Mayweather's value in the sport—the lawsuit if that ever happened...Conor loves money, and he would lose a lot of money if that happened."

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Given that it will be a straight boxing fight, Mayweather, 40, is the heavy favourite to beat McGregor, who has never boxed professionally in his career.

Mayweather has been retired since September 2015, when he bowed out by beating Andre Berto to take his professional record to 49-0, but he is still being widely tipped to dominate his Irish opponent.

Many have been scornful that the fight is even going ahead, including boxing writer Ben Dirs:

It will be a huge spectacle with the fighters expected to pocket as much as $100 million (£78.8 million) each, per Kevin Iole of Yahoo Sports.