Conor McGregor vs The Mountain: watch UFC icon spar deadlift record-holder Hafthor Bjornsson

Game of Thrones actor and new world deadlift record-holder Hafthor Bjornsson and former UFC double champion Conor McGregor bare-knuckle sparring in 2015. Photo: YouTube/The Mac Life

Icelandic powerlifter and Game of Thrones actor Hafthor Bjornsson just shattered the world deadlift record after a 501 kilogram lift on Sunday – but did you know he and UFC star Conor McGregor have sparred bare-knuckle in the past?

Bjornsson, who is documented to be 6 feet and 9 inches (2.05m) tall and 192kg (425 pounds), featured in a three-and-a-half minute sparring and wrestling session with the 5 foot, 7 inch (1.75m) Irishman in 2015.

At the time, McGregor was preparing for his featherweight title fight against then-champion Jose Aldo. Both McGregor and Bjornsson were seen smiling whilst also engaging in semi-serious strikes, feints and takedown attempts.

The videohas amassed 55 million views since being uploaded four years ago. Much of the footage was of the towering Bjornsson advancing while the more mobile McGregor countered. Towards the end of the video, McGregor caught Bjornsson with a couple of well-placed body shots – much to the delight of the gym’s on-lookers – which caused the Bjornsson to jokingly fall on his knees.

The 31-year-old Bjornsson played Gregor “The Mountain” Clegane in HBO’s successful Game of Thrones series. Long a prominent figure in the weightlifting scene, his latest record-breaking achievement surpassed long-time nemesis Eddie Hall’s attempt in 2016.

Both Bjornsson and Hall – who have each won World’s Strongest Man titles – will make a transition into the boxing ring after signing agreements to fight in future.

In an interview with MMA Junkie in 2015, McGregor described the experience as “a lot of fun” after explaining their bare-knuckle encounter came after what was supposed to be a visually stimulating photo session.

“That’s a big man ... and I still folded him up. I was hitting him with some shots – I had to hit him with some shots. He was trying to hit me, as well. People say, ‘He was taking it easy.’ He tried to grab me and tried to pull my head off and I defended – freed the head. I was like, this [expletive] is so big, I have to start smacking him to the body. But I sunk him good. Not even a ‘Mountain’ can take these shots from me,” he said.

In 2017, Bjornsson told RT: “Yes, I had a sparring session with [McGregor]. Just a joke one. A while ago, before his big fight against Aldo. I had to hold myself back because I have too much power for a man of his size. If I would push all my power into him I would crush him.”