Conor McGregor Acknowledges Potential Hollywood Enemies Following Past Project Refusals

Photo: Instagram/Conor McGregor

Conor McGregor, the renowned UFC champion, opens up about missed opportunities and potential strained relations within Hollywood. 

McGregor, who famously declared he'd apologize to nobody, now reveals a sense of regret regarding his choices outside the cage.

As McGregor soared to superstardom in the UFC, Hollywood came knocking, eager to collaborate with the two-division champion.

Photo: Instagram/Conor McGregor

Despite the persistent rumors surrounding McGregor's potential involvement in various projects, he consistently declined to commit until recently signing on for the upcoming Road House reboot, set to release on March 21.

Reflecting on his journey, McGregor candidly admits that his wavering interest in Hollywood projects may have rubbed some industry insiders the wrong way. "I had turned down a good few roles in my time on the climb," McGregor tells Total Film. "I’ve had directors show up at fight camp, really beautiful directors doing really top-end movies … and over and over, they’d come to me, and I always turned them down. I’d leave people a little high and dry. I probably have a few enemies out there that I don’t really know of because I had said, ‘I might do it.’”

One notable instance was in 2016 when McGregor was initially announced as part of the cast for xXx: The Return of Xander Cage alongside Vin Diesel, only to withdraw from the project following a shocking loss to Nate Diaz at UFC 196. Diesel claimed McGregor had a role tailored for him, but the abrupt departure led director DJ Caruso to express being "really pissed." McGregor's role ultimately went to fellow UFC veteran Michael Bisping.

Amidst downtime recovering from a leg injury sustained in his last fight with Dustin Poirier in 2021, McGregor seized the opportunity to make a definitive foray into acting with the Road House reboot. Despite making it clear that fighting remains his top priority, McGregor acknowledges his enjoyment of the role as Knox—a hired gun tasked with taking out Jake Gyllenhaal’s character in the film.

“I was just in awe of it all, to be honest with you, the whole process,” McGregor reflects. “I didn’t know how I was going to take to it. I didn’t know whether I was going to like it, to be honest. I’m a fighting man. That’s my bread and butter. It’s where I come from. I’m not an actor, but I’m show business. That was my vibe to it. I felt that. I enjoyed every second of it.” McGregor's admission offers a nuanced perspective on the challenges and choices that come with balancing a career in both sports and entertainment. (Source: MMA Fighting)

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