Keep Conor McGregor out of Pro Wrestling

This douche got punched in the face and choked out but another douche. Photo Courtesy of UFC.

By Matthew Klink (@klinkmatt)

October 8, 2018

I shouldn’t have to write this…but too many people are discussing the idea of McGregor joining the WWE. This is my plea for why the WWE should never give in to the public’s suggestion of this arse-hole signing.

At least once, every 12 months, for the last few years, Dana White and Vince McMahon have met to discuss business. Business that was concerned with talent usage and what I’m sure always includes at least a heartbeat of consideration for collaboration. Since the WWE is now working with FOX (once of the UFC’s distributors) we know those conversations included the conversation of bringing combat sports and pro wrestling to same screen.

I hope they’ve never discussed tactics, because I don’t want the garbage that is the UFC polluting my WWE programming. That may sound silly, when you take into consideration one is a combat sport and the other is ‘fake’ fighting. But I do want to jump on my soap box and declare whatever happened at UFC 229…definitely had nothing to do with pro wrestling and had everything to do with the reasons I don’t watch it.

And when I say that pro wrestling did not make an appearance at UFC 229, I mean that the only thing present during that fiasco was shame and embarrassment.

Now, I’m not suggesting that this incident happened on purpose or with the notion of “any press is good press”. Khabib Nurmagonmedov acted on his own and he is an idiot. Conor McGregor is also a super huge idiot and every action he’s taken to push Khabib is proof of that.

What I am suggesting is that this should not be compared to pro wrestling. With the creation of this blog and podcast, one of the main goals was to put the fans of pro wrestling, as well as the art of pro wrestling, into a better a light. The same light that Game of Thrones can be found in. Why Game of Thrones? Well, out of this world storytelling, grounded in real life problems and drama. Maybe the writing is better in Game of Thrones (…sometimes…) but we all know what’s going on in both worlds. The ring/Westeros is the stage and every wrestler/actor has a part to play.

No matter how evil our bad guys get or how heroic the protagonist comes off, we all know that their home lives are filled with mistakes, possible skeletons in the closet, and regret. The difference between the WWE/Game of Thrones and the UFC, is that we make a hard and fast attempt to separate the real world from the play acting out in front of us.

For those of us who are sane, we know that Jon Snow is just a character. The Lannisters only commit “twincest” in fake castles. And Ramsay Bolton deserved to be devoured by his mutts…but Iwan Rheon is just a normal guy.

The same thing goes for the WWE. Stone Cold Steve Austin hates Vince McMahon…but Steve and Vince owe everything to each other. The Undertaker isn’t actually dead. And John Cena isn’t…well…no…John Cena is the greatest human being ever. Cena is the exception.

Regardless of what these characters do at home, none of the character they create on TV should follow them home. Even if they are the same person at home, their characters are the ones making these decisions…and…for the most part…we all know this.

When Khabib and McGregor finished their fight (the illegal one) and some of their friends were sent to jail, these two remained assholes. Conor McGregor is still someone proud to tear down someone’s culture and race and Khabib is still the guy who jumped into a crowd of (some) innocent bystanders and threw their safety to the wind. These two will be fined, but the true punishment would be if they never saw a UFC ring again. The worst part is how laughable that notion is.

As the WWE tries to erase some of their past mistakes (by making more progressive decisions) they will never be without fault for the type of booking that gets made to fatten their wallets. Obviously, the Saudi Arabia contracts come to mind. But don’t forget the Floyd Mayweather fights with the Big Show. This is a guy with a long laundry list of domestic violence crimes and accusations. The filings began seven years before he was signed and continued up to the fight with the Big Show and then continue to this day.

I trust (or like to think) that the WWE wouldn’t book him now, but we don’t really know.

That being said, the art of pro wrestling has nothing to do with the WWE’s decision making. You might want to argue that point, but whatever choices the WWE makes in storytelling or booking, there is nothing that could change the definition of pro wrestling as what the art form is to its fans. Its the dramatic battle of two or more chosen parties, settled in a wrestling ring, based off of creative narrative and feats of athleticism and strength.

I’ll say it again: UFC 229 did not display any part of that. Instead…it embarrassed itself and showed us all of the problems created by not punishing bad people for their actions. Instead, rewarding them because there is money to be made.

I’m speaking up about this: 1. Because I need everyone to love the thing that I love (I’m man enough to admit that). 2. I’m also concerned of the free pass these guys get when UFC gets to slide under the “pro wrestling” rug and let their psychos act in terrible ways. These guys weren’t helping their brand. They weren’t building up their fight. They weren’t acting as normal humans. 3. The loads of people who immediately questioned if Conor McGregor should join the WWE.

Conor McGregor is not good for pro wrestling…he’s not good for the UFC…he’s not good for humanity…Fuck that guy.

For me, there is a reason I don’t watch Mixed Martial Arts or UFC and I admit as much during episodes of the Brothers of Discussion. I am a fan of the drama, the pageantry, athleticism, and of course…the fighting. I like to think that I wouldn’t be the one attending the Gladiator Trials of Ancient Rome. Instead…I’d be pouncing around in my pantaloons, singing and dancing, and trying to make a buck.

Even if you are a fan of both, I hope there is one thing you’ll take away from this article: fuck Conor McGregor…

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