As Conor McGregor sat ringside to watch 2023’s BKFC 41 fight between Mike Perry and Eddie Alvarez, he had a big smile on his face. When the winner, Perry, called him out in front of at least 8000-strong crowd at the 1STBANK Center in Denver, he confirmed, “I’m into this game.” Fast forward to April 2024, and he announced himself as BKFC’s part-owner with a possible fighting career. With two bouts remaining on his UFC contract, and him already preparing for the historic UFC White House card, where he demanded a whopping $100M, his BKFC debut is seemingly being delayed. But he stole the spotlight right ahead of BKFC 82, re-igniting the possibilities.

In an interview with DAZN, Conor McGregor reiterated his dual role as hype guy and fighter-in-waiting, saying, “BKFC is on the rise. It’s global. Tonight, I introduce my new heavyweight signing, WWE Superstar. So we’ve got WWE crossovers now. Everyone wants to do it. I want to do it. I own the thing, and I want to do it. This is the stable of solidness, if you’re a tough, bad motherf—–.”

DAZN didn’t try to hold the excitement either as they captioned the post, “We NEED to see @thenotoriousmma compete in the squared circle 😈” And these remarks by The Notorious weren’t just hollow blusters. Every time he sits ringside, he is more and more taken to the game. In fact, BKFC president David Feldman, too, believes that he is more than serious about his return to UFC and eventually to bare-knuckle fighting.

“If he wins the White House card, which I have every reason to believe no matter who he fight, he’s going to win,” claimed Feldman while talking to MMA Fighting in late September. “If he wins, if he looks good in that fight, he’s going to fight another fight. If that happens, then I would bet 100 percent he’ll fight for BKFC. Why wouldn’t he?”

Fighting in BKFC would make sense for McGregor’s financial interest in the sport as well. But when he swaps his gloves for wraps, it would be something to look forward to. For now, he is training his best to appear on the UFC White House card. That puts McGregor straddling two worlds: the UFC, where a long-awaited showdown with Michael Chandler looms, and BKFC, where he could rewrite the rulebook entirely.

His $100 million and 100 Golden Visa demand for the White House card may or may not be honored, but his bare-knuckle tease suggests that he is keeping all options open while also adding new names to his co-owned promotion.

It is worth noting that the latest WWE fighter deal follows BKFC’s previous signing of Jack Claffey (formerly WWE’s Gentleman Jack Gallagher), who made a successful debut at BKFC 25. With Vince McMahon himself recently making overtures to buy into the company, Conor McGregor’s declaration indicates that BKFC is doubling down on spectacle and mass crossover appeal.

Maybe he might even end up fighting the same WWE superstar whose signing he just teased in the interview. But who could be this pro wrestler wanting to make his BKFC debut?

Conor McGregor’s BKFC is set to get a massive name on its roster

McGregor’s words left fans speculating, but the clues point in one very specific direction. Two months ago, BKFC 76 featured a surprise cameo from none other than former WWE superstar Bobby Lashley. The Dominator has balanced careers in pro wrestling and MMA. And while he did not enter the ring that night, he confirmed during his on-air interview, “Man, this is very exciting being here in Texas. It is fantastic. I mean, I talked to Dave Feldman a little bit, and I think I might have one more left in the tank. Some of the familiar faces I see around here and some of the new guys, I like it.”

It is worth noting that Lashley isn’t just a pro wrestler dabbling in hype. He has a 15-2 professional MMA record, including a successful run in Bellator and Strikeforce before retiring in 2016 after an eight-fight winning streak. Add to that his credentials as a two-time WWE Champion, U.S. Army veteran, and current AEW superstar, and the “mystery heavyweight” McGregor advertised no longer seems so mysterious. His resume perfectly matches the profile of the crossover star McGregor envisions for the BKFC banner.

If it all turns out to be true, then the BKFC might’ve gotten themselves one of the best deals in MMA-pro wrestling crossovers. A Conor McGregor-backed BKFC debut for Lashley would not only boost his mainstream credibility, but it could also shake up the heavyweight landscape of bare-knuckle fighting. Do you think we’re moving closer to it?