Former WWE superstar Enzo Amore has revealed details about Vince McMahon’s ambitious plans to bring UFC megastar Conor McGregor to WrestleMania 34.
In a podcast discussion about his time as WWE Cruiserweight Champion, Amore disclosed that McMahon personally orchestrated a social media campaign designed to create buzz for a potential McGregor crossover. The plan was as bold as it was calculated – position Enzo as the trash-talking heel who would pick fights with McGregor on Twitter.
“Vince McMahon made me tweet, pulled me into a room,” Amore explained, recounting the moment when the WWE chairman laid out his vision. With Big Cass serving as witness to this remarkable conversation, McMahon delivered clear instructions: “You’re going to be the cruiserweight champ and I want you tweeting at Conor McGregor picking a fight. We want McGregor for WrestleMania.”
The strategy behind this unconventional booking made perfect sense within WWE’s storytelling framework. Amore was transitioning from beloved babyface to despised heel – a character transformation that required him to become the cocky champion who “runs his mouth and runs away.”
This persona shift gave him what wrestlers call “a license to kill on the microphone.” It would allow him to claim victory even after getting dominated for twenty minutes, simply because he won the match through underhanded tactics.
McMahon’s vision extended beyond mere social media engagement. The plan involved leveraging Enzo’s natural ability on the microphone – a skill that had made him one of WWE’s top merchandise sellers, even surpassing John Cena at one point. By positioning him as the brash, smaller champion willing to call out the UFC’s biggest star, WWE could potentially create a David versus Goliath narrative that would capture mainstream attention.
The timing seemed perfect. McGregor was at the height of his crossover appeal, having recently competed against Floyd Mayweather in one of the most lucrative combat sports events ever. WWE was actively courting mainstream celebrities and athletes, recognizing the value of bringing outside star power to their programming.
However, this ambitious crossover never materialized. Enzo departed from WWE in January 2018, just after the 25th anniversary of Monday Night Raw, where he was featured prominently in a three-hour show. Therefore, McMahon’s McGregor masterplan was never executed.
