Conor McGregor made a successful return to the octagon at UFC 246, finishing Donald Cerrone with strikes in just 40 seconds.
Rumors of McGregor jumping over to WWE have been around for years and make for good banter on social media, but thus far, the talk has been just that. Many fighters have transitioned to WWE, including McGregor rival Floyd Mayweather, who participated in a match against The Big Show at WrestleMania 24. Cain Velasquez is one of the latest to make the transition, wrestling his first match in August 2019 after a successful MMA career that saw him capture the UFC Heavyweight Championship.
Speaking to BTSport, Cain discussed McGregor's chances in WWE.
"I think he?d be well suited because of his promos. That?s probably the hardest part and he nails that. And he?s just a great athlete so he can definitely do it, yeah! A good buddy, Daniel Cormier. He?s got a great personality, he?s a great athlete and he?s been in love with this sport [WWE] since he was a kid as well. He grew up watching it and even now as an adult he?s a huge fan," he said.
Velasquez worked a couple of matches in Lucha Libre AAA before making his in-ring WWE debut at Crown Jewel in October 2019, losing quickly to Brock Lesnar.
When asked about the difference between the two sports, Velasquez replied, "It?s different but there are similarities, this [WWE] is an action sport and it?s the same thing with fighting. It?s a different mentality that you have to have when you go out and perform. With the WWE you have to be really open to your surroundings, feel the crowd, hear the crowd. Your timing needs to be correct, well it does in fighting as well, but your timing almost needs to slow down in-between doing a move and registering it. Whereas fighting, I don?t listen to the crowd, I?m just focussed on what I have to do as far as my opponent, watching him, because that?s all I have to worry about is him.here?s nothing of timing, my gameplan is to go out there and be really offensive, that?s what I have to do and almost find my openings. Don?t work with him, just go out there and look to beat him.?
He continued, "For me it?s just turned up a notch, even like on social media I didn?t know how big the WWE was. Coming from the UFC that?s what I know, that?s the world that I?m really familiar with and I know the size of it and who?s into it and everything. Just the amount of people, you have something like WrestleMania and the UFC doesn?t pull those numbers like that, they just don?t."
It is unknown when Velasquez will return to the ring, though he has stated he will be in the Royal Rumble. WWE has yet to confirm his participation. You can find a full list of confirmed participants by clicking here.