Conor McGregor strut: Who did the UFC superstar copy it from?
Did you know that UFC superstar Conor McGregor actually copied his famous 'Billionaire Strut' from WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon?
Former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor has been responsible for a number of memorable moments throughout his career. From trolling Jeremy Stephens during a press conference, to his now-iconic post-fight speech after UFC 205, Conor McGregor has certainly made quite the impact on fans.
Perhaps one of the things most commonly associated with McGregor however, is the 'Billionaire Strut'. McGregor first pulled the strut off when he entered the octagon against Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205 back in 2016. Since then, fans and even fellow athletes have imitated the famed action:
NBA champion Marc Gasol, NFL stars Kirk Alonso, Dak Prescott, and Dez Bryant, football stars Sergio Ramos and Paul Pogba, NBA legend Shaq, and many others have all done their versions of The Billionaire Strut.
Check Out: How Much Does Conor McGregor Earn?
The origins behind Conor McGregor's Billionaire Strut
While he definitely gave it new life, Conor McGregor isn't the originator of The Billionaire strut. That distinction goes to WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon.
As part of his diabolical 'Mr. McMahon' character in the WWE, Vince McMahon often walked out to the ring with an exaggerated power walk. The strut was most prevalent during the height of his run as the WWE's biggest heel or bad guy. While no longer a common occurrence on WWE television, McMahon will bust out the strut every once in a while just to play to the crowd.
During a 2017 Q&A session in Manchester, England, Conor McGregor admitted to stealing The Billionaire Strut from Vince McMahon while also taking a shot at the WWE:
"Vince McMahon must be pissed. I don't give a f*ck about Vince McMahon. I stole that walk and that walk is now mine. That's my walk. I created that walk. I made that walk," McGregor said (via Fox Sports)
In a different interview, McGregor stated that he 'perfected' the walk, while also showing love to Vince McMahon:
"I perfected it. Vince is a legend. I love Vince. Vince McMahon is a mad bastard, he's a mad man."
With Conor McGregor returning to action against Dustin Poirier at UFC 257, there's a big chance that we see 'The Billionaire Strut' inside the octagon once again.