Conor McGregor name-dropped by Paul Rudd in new season of Selena Gomez's murder show
Conor McGregor is undoubtedly one of the biggest names to come out of Ireland. His meteoric rise in the UFC, alongside his notorious personality and humongous draw factor, not only engraved his name in the sport's history but also put MMA on the global map.
However, the true sign of fame is how well one has managed to become a pop culture reference, and Conor McGregor recently achieved that as well. The UFC star was name-dropped in Hulu's popular mystery drama television series, Only Murders in the Building.
The Emmy and Golden Globe-winning TV show, featuring Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez, is currently airing its fourth season worldwide. In the fifth and latest episode of the season, titled "Adaptation", Paul Rudd makes a surprise return as Glen Stubbins. He plays an Irish stunt performer who doubled for the victim of the third season, Ben Glenroy, also played by Rudd.
Short's character Oliver Putnam spends the episode feeling insecure about his physique after reading the news of his girlfriend Loretta Durking, played by Meryl Streep, working with a handsome, bulked-up co-actor. Around the 16:50 mark of the episode, a 70-something Putnam comes across Stubbins in the lobby of Arconia, the housing complex where the series is set, and asks him:
"Glen, you're a stunt guy. Would you say I'm physically fit?"
Stubbins answers sarcastically:
"Oh, sure. You're a right Conor McGregor."
Putnam, who usually has a quip of his own to such comments, did not seem to wonder who Conor McGregor was, which means it is implied that even a man of his age knows about 'The Notorious'. It also means that the showrunners trusted their audience to have an idea about McGregor.
Anyone who watches a lot of television is aware that references such as preserved for sporting personalities like LeBron James or Cristiano Ronaldo. To have an Irish character name-drop McGregor in a high-profile show is not only proof of his popularity but also a sign of how far MMA has come since getting dismissed as "human cock fighting."
The show also features Eugene Levy, Eva Longoria, and Zach Galifianakis this season as guest stars.
Conor McGregor bragged about The Rock-esque paycheck on Hollywood debut
Conor McGregor made his Hollywood debut in 2024 with Amazon MGM Studios' Road House, which is a remake of the Patrick Swayze-starrer 1989 classic. He played the character of Knox, the primary antagonist in the movie against Jake Gyllenhaal's Elwood Dalton who is a former MMA fighter in the movie.
After the release of the movie, McGregor claimed in a now-deleted tweet that he is the highest-paid Hollywood debutant of all time:
"What did you think of my acting debut movie trailer? Hell of a ride! I am now officially the highest-paid first-time actor of all time, on record, pipping Dwayne Johnson for the top spot. Incredible!"
McGregor did not disclose how much he earned for his role in Road House. But if his claim is true, it would beat Dwayne Johnson's record of $5.5 million paycheck for 2002's Scorpion King. While the UFC star has a knack for exaggerated claims, The Hollywood Reporter revealed that the figure may indeed be in the ballpark.
The report claimed that McGregor, who previously backed out of a debut role in Vin Diesel's 2017 flick xXx: Return of Xander Cage, earned more than what some of the current A-listers like Chris Hemsworth or Gal Gadot made for Thor and Wonder Woman respectively.