Conor McGregor could leave MMA behind for a career in Hollywood.
The former dual-weight UFC champion hasn’t fought since breaking his leg during a trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier in July 2021, and he’s struggling to agree a deal for his comeback fight.
McGregor plays the bad guy in his movie debutCredit: @TheNotoriousMMA – x
During his extended spell on the sidelines, McGregor decided to expand his horizons by booking an acting gig and becoming the ‘highest-paid’ first-time actor of all time.
The 35-year-old documented his time on set with Jake Gyllenhaal filming a remake of the 1989 cult classic Road House – which originally starred Patrick Swayze.
Now, the reviews are in following a world premiere on Friday.
McGregor is receiving widespread acclaim for his portrayal of ‘Knox’, and one film critic even suggested he could go on to be the next Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Others claimed he ‘stole the show’ from Gyllenhaal, who has dozens of acting credits and previously earned an Oscar nomination for his role in Brokeback Mountain.
IGN wrote: “McGregor steals the show by playing someone so deranged he trades his Ferrari for a driving-school car because he feels like it, then stops the vehicle by ramming into a tree just for the hell of it.”
Film critic Owen Gleiberman heaped praise on ‘Notorious’.
“Conor McGregor in a stunning movie debut,” he wrote in Variety.
‘Notorious’ enjoyed his first time on a movie setCredit: @thenotoriousmma – instagram
And made a new, powerful friend in GyllenhaalCredit: Getty
“Bearded and barrel-chested, with gleaming white teeth, he makes Knox move like a gorilla on pep pills, and the exuberance of his homicidal fury could be out of a “Mad Max” film.”
McGregor shockingly agreed to go nude in his first movie, and those scenes seemed to stand out to some critics tasked with reviewing Amazon’s Road House remake.
“It’s a daring and controversial bit of stunt casting, but after making quite an entrance, McGregor maintains an impressive level of hyper-intensity throughout,” Boyd Hilton said in his review for Empire.
The Guardian’s critic claimed: “McGregor’s cocky (and occasionally bare-assed) hitman big. It’s primal, bruising, ludicrous and very fun.
“McGregor, it turns out, is a natural at playing a devilishly flamboyant villain, at times stealing the show from a more grounded Gyllenhaal.”
Despite being unsure if McGregor has any real acting ability, Christian Zilko gave him the biggest praise of all by suggesting he could become the next Arnold Schwarzenegger.
McGregor’s next assignment is a fight with Chandler – but they don’t have a dateCredit: @TheNotoriousMMA – Twitter
“McGregor, on the other hand, steals every scene he’s in,” he wrote for Indie Wire.
“It’s unclear how much of what he does is actually acting, as he simply plays a rowdy and charismatic Irishman who likes to hit people and show off his ridiculous tattoos.
“But his first acting role could establish him as his generation’s Arnold Schwarzenegger.
McGregor doesn’t have any immediate plans to shoot another movie, as he is currently fixated on returning to MMA and continuing his career in the sport that made him famous.
However, if negotiations drag on much longer, he may decide to retire from getting punched in the face and make millions as an action movie star instead.
It’s clear the critics think he’s got the ability to have a career on the silver screen – now McGregor must decide if the movie business is something he wants to pursue.