One of the strangest stories that you’re going to hear this year, or any other year for that matter, broke last month when Justin Bieber bizarrely decided to publicly challenge Tom Cruise to a mixed martial arts fight. The Canadian pop star called out the world’s biggest movie star on Twitter and even tagged UFC President Dana White in the post for good measure, but not Cruise himself for some reason.
Naturally, this news sent the internet into a mini-meltdown, with many people questioning exactly why the 25 year-old singer felt the urge to challenge a man 32 years his senior to a brawl in the octagon. Although Cruise has yet to publicly respond, there’s no doubt that it’s going to be one of the most-asked questions next time the actor winds up doing press interviews.
The very same day Bieber posted that tweet, Conor McGregor (who’s no stranger to drumming up either publicity or controversy), offered to host the fight through his McGregor Sports and Entertainment company and even laid down a tongue-in-cheek challenge to Mark Wahlberg at the same time, posting on his Twitter feed:
“If Tom Cruise is man enough to accept this challenge, McGregor Sports and Entertainment will host the bout. Does Cruise have the sprouts to fight, like he does in the movies? I challenge Mark Walhberg on the very same card. Back when Mark Wahlberg was Marky Mark, I’d have still slapped the ears off him and took my UFC shares back.”
Now, as if things couldn’t get any weirder, McGregor’s nemesis Floyd Mayweather has also thrown his hat into the ring to promote the hypothetical bout. In a recent interview, the legendary former boxer echoed McGregor’s sentiments and offered his services in setting up the fight:
“If they bring me in as a promoter, then I can talk about it. But until then, I gotta stay in my lane. Gotta stay in my business.”
Obviously, it seems very unlikely that this is ever going to happen, but it remains a fascinating ‘what if?’ proposition nonetheless. Cruise may be 57 years old, but the smart money would still be on him demolishing Bieber in short order. After all, this is a guy that throws himself out of buildings and planes in the name of entertainment. If Tom Cruise started training for an MMA fight, you can guarantee that he would give it his all.
