It’s easily the most bizarre celebrity news story we’ve seen in a very, very long time.
Earlier this month, Justin Bieber publicly challenged Tom Cruise, he of Mission: Impossible and Top Gun fame, to a UFC fight. Why, you ask? We have no idea, all we know is that Bieber says his opponent “will never live it down” if he doesn’t accept. Hell, former UFC champ Conor McGregor has even weighed in on the situation, as has UFC boss Dana White, who now says that talks are underway for what many are already calling the “fight of the century” to happen.
Speaking at Hashtag Sports 2019 on Thursday, White was asked about the potential brawl and offered the following:
“I should have known this was going to be the first question. Listen, if I can make that fight, I’d be all over that fight. It’d be the biggest pay-per-view in the history of pay-per-view.”
When asked if it was true that he’s been in talks to make the fight happen, White said:
“It is true,” White said. “As crazy as that sounds, that is true. … I don’t want to use any names, but I was at home on a Sunday, and I got a call with two big guys on the phone. They were telling me this could possibly happen and this could be real. I’m like, there’s no way that this is really going to happen. But if it does, call me back. I’m in.”
While all of this is pretty exciting to hear, you still have to wonder what prompted Bieber’s outburst in the first place. Is the pop sensation secretly hinting at his next project? Or is this simply a PR stunt? Better yet, what will Tom Cruise’s official response be when he chooses to make one?
Even though the 56-year-old has been a model professional for the majority of his career, he’s also known for always doing his own stunts and generally raising the bar for action filmmaking. As such, sources close to the star say he’s likely down for a fight with the Biebs and it really seems like it’s just a matter of time before he publicly accepts the challenge.
In any case, it definitely sounds as if the wheels are really turning here and we imagine it won’t be long now before the UFC officially announces their next big event as Justin Bieber vs. Tom Cruise. The only question that remains, is, who will emerge victorious?
