Grayson Waller reflects on paying tribute to Connor McGregor in his main roster debut against Edge

Grayson Waller called Connor McGregor and him the MSG main eventers as a response to an MMA journalist's tweet.

Grayson Waller reflects on paying tribute to Connor McGregor in his main roster debut against Edge

Grayson Waller, Edge and Connor McGregor (via Twitter)

The Arrogant Aussie Grayson Waller made his main roster in-ring debut on the special episode of SmackDown. His first match was against Rated-R superstar Edge. Being a huge MMA fan, Waller paid a tribute to the Notorious Connor McGregor at the beginning of the match. His gesture was bought to his attention by a journalist and was then addressed by Waller himself.

A reply to MMA journalist Ariel Helwani’s tweet had Grayson responding that Connor McGregor and he are both MSG main eventers. The original tweet compared McGregor and Waller’s hands in the back gesture as their respective matches started. Grayson’s first ever match came at the iconic Madison Square Garden against the Rated-R Superstar. Hence, his normal matchup felt like a main event match.

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The MMA journalist Ariel Helwani tweeted Grayson Waller’s debut match with a notable caption. His tweet had two pictures. One was of the match between Waller and Edge at SmackDown, while the other was of McGregor and Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205. The comparison started as Grayson was seen keeping his hands in the back, just like Connor, as the match began. This unique gesture proves to be a respectful portrayal of showmanship.

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Waller hinted at his in-ring return sooner than expected last week on Twitter. Just a few days later, on the June 30 episode of SmackDown, he hosted the Grayson Waller Effect with Logan Paul as a guest. At Money in the Bank, he was involved in a segment with John Cena. After all these efforts, Waller has made his in-ring debut, showing off his heel persona with the whack of his sharp tongue.

Related: Grayson Waller breaks silence after losing his debut match on main roster against Edge, days after getting humiliated by John Cena

Edge praises Grayson Waller after their match on SmackDown

Edge and Grayson Waller
Edge and Grayson Waller (via WWE)

The Rated-R Superstar Edge made his return on the special episode of SmackDown that aired live from Madison Square Garden. His return saw him on the Grayson Waller Effect show, which led to a match against Waller. The Hall of Famer emerged victorious in the match, but he admired Waller in a backstage interview on the show.

During a backstage segment, Cathy Kelley asked Edge about his match with The Arrogant Aussie. The Rated-R superstar stated that he understand that Waller, being a newbie, wants to make his name on the roster. He said, “His big words help him getting into John Cena’s face and now at my face.” Edge appreciated him and reflected on his similar story.

Edge said that he used to back it up with his performance, which Waller also did. He added that the former NXT star swam through the tough times. The Hall of Famer then concluded, saying that his first match on the roster being against the seven-time world champion at MSG tells a lot about him.

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