(Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Pump the brakes. It appears that, contrary to prior reports, UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor is not appearing on Game of Thrones Season 7.
If you’re just now hopping on this weird news train, here’s the story: rumors about McGregor scoring a cameo role on Game of Thrones Season 7 surfaced a couple of months back. Then, very reliable fansite Watchers on the Wall not only reported that the rumors were true, but revealed details about his role. Per the site, McGregor would be playing a pirate on board Euron Greyjoy’s ship, the Silence. UFC president Dana White even appeared to confirm McGregor’s participation during an interview with Fox Sports Live, where he said of McGregor’s cameo, “I’m glad he did it. It’ll be great.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5McRtt8Dvg8&t=4m30s
However, now McGregor himself has dumped cold water on the theory. Asked during the Q&A portion of his An Evening with Conor McGregor PPV event, McGregor set the record strait, claiming that while he was offered a role shortly after his victory over Nate Diaz in August of 2016, he didn’t take it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5X8waOODZQ&feature=youtu.be&t=53m48s
Dana’s saying, ‘These guys want you to be in Game of Thrones.’ And I’m sitting there banged up…my legs in bits, and he’s trying to offer me a Game of Thrones role. I’m looking at them, saying…‘I’m not trying to be in show-business, I’m trying to be in the fight business. Come at me with a real number to fight again!’ That was the only time I’ve ever heard the word Game of Thrones, and then it went everywhere!…I don’t know where that came from, but I have never been in contact with nobody from Game of Thrones, about starring in Game of f—king Thrones! That’s that! Don’t believe everything you hear.
McGregor also said he turned down the lead role in an upcoming sequel to Predator, so it sounds like he’s committing to not trying to be show business.
We tend to believe the verbose fighter…with a grain of salt. McGregor is prone to making wild statements, such as his claim that his An Evening with Conor McGregor PPV boasted a larger attendance than the UFC’s Fight Night in Denver. (Numbers say otherwise.) And we remember how the Game of Thrones cast members had to lie through their teeth every day for months about Jon Snow’s Season 6 resurrection…
For better or worse, the rumor is out there, and we may have to wait until Game of Thrones Season 7 debuts on HBO this summer to find out the truth.
h/t Bloody Elbow, MMA Junkie
