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Drew McIntyre Talks UFC Icon Khabib Joining WWE; Potential Conor McGregor Match
March 25, 2021
Ahead of his WWE Championship match against Bobby Lashley at WrestleMania 37 in April, Drew McIntyre discussed the possibility of two huge MMA stars making the jump to pro wrestling.
In an interview with TMZ Sports, McIntyre was asked about Khabib Nurmagomedov, who confirmed to UFC President Dana White last week that he is retired from MMA.
Although Khabib isn't very boisterous and is a man of few words, McIntyre still believes he could be a great fit in WWE:
"[Khabib's] so talented that I reckon he could make some noise, and if he can't make the noise himself, we've got Paul Heyman. We've got a few talented people who can carry the load when it comes to talking.
"MVP has done a heck of a job for Lashley. Maybe that's another name to throw in the hat. But, [Khabib's] such an amazing performer in the UFC, and if he can't quite figure out that part, we'll make it work."
Khabib is among the most dominant fighters in MMA history, as he owns a 29-0 career record, including a 13-0 mark in UFC. He was so unbeatable, in fact, that he retired as the reigning UFC lightweight champion after beating Justin Gaethje at UFC 254 in October.
Nurmagomedov may not have the gift of gab, but the 32-year-old is a destructive force, and it wouldn't be difficult for WWE to put him in a position to succeed, just as it has done with Brock Lesnar over the years by pairing him with Heyman.
Conor McGregor is one of Khabib's greatest rivals, and if any UFC fighter seems tailor-made for the wrestling business, it is the brash Irishman.
McGregor is an all-time great fighter as evidenced by his 22-5 record and reigns as both UFC featherweight and lightweight champion, but his cocky demeanor is what would make him a great fit for pro wrestling.
While there would likely be a ton of money and interest in McGregor and McIntyre, The Scotsman said he isn't so sure about the idea:
"I keep saying maybe Conor and I will have a match someday, but realistically, I keep saying he's the size of my leg. Then I look at my legs—I'm sitting right now and I've got pretty big legs—he's more like the size of my calf. So maybe not Conor and I, maybe one of our talented cruiserweights and Conor could have a match."
McIntyre, who is listed at 6'5" and 265 pounds compared to 5'9" and 155 pounds for McGregor, went on to mention that world heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury might be a better opponent for himself.
Fury recently divulged that he was supposed to wrestle McIntyre at a pay-per-view in the United Kingdom. However, plans got scrapped because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
For now, McIntyre is focused on winning back the WWE Championship at WrestleMania, but it is clear that he has his sights set high after that.
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