“Can’t let you get this close,” Hollywood’s highest paid debutant Conor McGregor’s dialogue resembles UFC legend Chael Sonnen’s iconic moment

Hollywood's highest paid debutante, Conor McGregor's new movie scene boasts homage to UFC veteran's famed altercation.

“Can’t let you get this close,” Hollywood’s highest paid debutant Conor McGregor’s dialogue resembles UFC legend Chael Sonnen’s iconic moment

Conor McGregor's upcoming movie boasts a prime Chael Sonnen connection (Source: ESPN.com/IMDB.com/Twitter)

If one looks for a bad guy in the UFC, look no further than Conor McGregor. Outside the scope of fighting, McGregor is a business entrepreneur/avid MMA promoter. But inside, he holds the moniker of ‘The Notorious’ for a reason. Even fellow Irishman Ian Garry follows in his footsteps to be the disruptor within the promotion. But before the former champion or his heir apparent, the combat sports bubble boasted an original ‘Bad Guy’ – Chael Sonnen.

Despite not winning a title, Sonnen has impeccable status within the promotion. And in the likes of McGregor boasting some of the best quotable one-liners in the UFC/MMA history, Sonnen too was the king of trash talk. The Dubliner recently dazzled in the trailer for “Road House” opposite Hollywood star Jake Gyllenhaal. Apparently, though, he took cues from Sonnen.

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The trailer shows McGregor serving as the antagonist named ‘Knox,’ and he has an iconic line mirroring that of Sonnen. The feud between Sonnen and Wanderlei Silva peaked during the TUF (The Ultimate Fighter) 3 reality show. Stating “Can’t let you get this close” to his rival, the fighter immediately switched stance and brawled on set. A move that earned him more street cred for winning that fight in flip-flops.

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During the penultimate scenes of the trailer, the Irishman boasts a similar line, headbutting the hero and initiating a brawl. Gyllenhaal plays Dalton, a former UFC fighter who takes a job as a bouncer at a roadhouse in Florida. McGregor will be Dalton’s archenemy. The remake of the 1989 Patrick Swayze film has a March 21 release date.

Conor McGregor is the highest-paid debuting Hollywood star

Conor McGregor makes his acting debut in the reimagining of the 1989 classic “Road House.” The multi-millionaire fighter is already a sports promoter and businessman, even boasting his line of distilled beverages. Now, one of the richest combatants in sports history makes his debut with a prominent studio, come this March. Coincidentally the movie also pays homage to a famous Chael Sonnen altercation.

Conor McGregor
Conor McGregor (Via UFC)

 JJ Hook, Alison Winter, Aaron Auch, and Paradigm Sports founder Audie Attar are producing. The movie consists of a UFC element as well, which was shot last year. Prime Video released the movie’s trailer recently, with McGregor in limited but spectacular scenes. Now, he has taken to his X account to proclaim breaking Dwayne Johnson’s record to become Hollywood’s highest-paid debutant.

In prime McGregor fashion, here’s what the deleted tweet said –

Conor McGregor's deleted tweet
Conor McGregor’s deleted tweet (via Screengrab)

Although the trailer has the interest of fans piqued, fight fans await the return of McGregor even more. According to McGregor, he will make his long-anticipated UFC return this summer against Michael Chandler on June 29 in Las Vegas. Since breaking his leg in a TKO loss to Dustin Poirier in July 2021, “The Notorious” has not competed in any fights.

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