WWE legend Paul Heyman has claimed UFC star Conor McGregor may not live to see his 57th birthday due to his lifestyle.
McGregor has become the UFC's biggest superstar since his initial rise which saw him become double-champion, but his form in the octagon has significantly declined. The Irishman has been out of action for nearly two years after breaking his leg in defeat by Dustin Poirier, but has announced his return fight will take place this year against Michael Chandler.
Since his time out of action, McGregor has regularly been seen partying and drinking including while in Las Vegas filming for the latest series of The Ultimate Fighter according to reports. And WWE legend Heyman, who has already been drawn into a feud with McGregor this week, believes the star is trying to emulate wrestling legend Roman Reigns.
"I'm not a grandfather, but I appreciate the fact that I'm old enough to be one, number one, and I'm still thriving on top," Heyman said during an interview on BT Sport when discussing 'The Notorious'. "I would like to see if Conor McGregor at 57 is still thriving at the very top of his entire industry. We'll see if he's even relevant at 57. We'll see if he even lives to 57 with his lifestyle now, number two.
"He, as a Roman Reigns wannabe, did the Paul Heyman style, you know, title on each shoulder, and, you know, gave a shout out to himself, of course he did. You know, the ultimate self promoter in Conor McGregor, you know, standing nine feet tall and weighing 155 pounds and five foot four.
"So, with that in mind, I said, 'Look at McGregor, a Roman Reigns wannabe', and of course, you know, he said, 'Oh, be careful grandpa. I'll break your jaw in three places." McGregor has been partying in some of the most plush locations around the world since his time out including Ibiza and Rome.
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Many have claimed it could impact his career inside the cage but McGregor is adamant he will return to the top as he targets a comeback at 170lb. Chandler will likely prove a difficult opposition but he believes that he is in good shape to pick up a comeback win and move on to bigger things again.
“I wish for consistency, I’m working for consistency,” McGregor said on the MMA Hour. “Like I’ve said before, I’ve had this on-and-off thing going on for a couple of years and it’s been frustrating, be it for different reasons. But I’d like to just get past that and get into this consistency. I feel like I can and I’m excited for it.
“Yeah, for sure,” he said. “Yeah, I can see it moving pretty fast when it moves. There’s no issue why it wouldn’t move fast. So I assume late summer, maybe a little bit later, depending. I would like that. And then, of course, that’s still half the year left.”
