On August 29, former competitive swimmer Michael Phelps offered to compete against UFC star Conor McGregor in swimming. The most decorated Olympian of all time tweeted his suggestion, accompanying it with a photo of him and McGregor facing off in swimming caps and goggles.
All of this talk… Should we race as well?? @TheNotoriousMMA pic.twitter.com/l3JoMgb1qT
— Michael Phelps (@MichaelPhelps) 29 августа 2017 г.
Phelps's tweet, which has gathered more than 29k retweets and 69k likes, set the social network ablaze. While some users admitted that they had anticipated the swim-off, others found it ridiculous.
I'd pay to see phelps vs mcgregor swimming lol
— Clubber Wang (@ChrisBoassoMMA) 29 августа 2017 г.
Yeah, McGregor will finish 2nd & people will say, "He swam in the same pool as Phelps. You gotta respect that." Or something of that sort https://t.co/FsUqGWNICM
— Champagne Paaji (@INSPVernacular) 29 августа 2017 г.
McGregor with the submission hold on Phelps in the pool. McGregor takes the Gold https://t.co/thasJn3CzT
— Cameron Clifft (@CamsXMplus) 29 августа 2017 г.
"First Mayweather, now Phelps… maybe McGregor can be the guy to bring Usain Bolt out of retirement too. #TheMoneySprint," tweeted another user.
Can't wait for McGregor vs. Phelps.
— Terrellios (@blackydudley) 29 августа 2017 г.
don't tell me conor mcgregor doesn't have a chance of winning when donald trump is literally president.
— C.Phelps (@chels_phelps) 26 августа 2017 г.
Both Phelps and McGregor have been in the spotlight this summer. On July 23, during Shark Week, the American swimmer raced against one of the fastest and most efficient predators on the planet, the Great White shark (which turned out to be a hologram).
Michael Phelps challenged Conor McGregor* to a race.
— Jon Acuff (@JonAcuff) 29 августа 2017 г.
*Computer simulation of Conor McGregor.
McGregor took on boxer Floyd Mayweather in a professional boxing bout on August 27, after the 29-year-old Irish MMA champ initiated the fight last year. When he published a Photoshopped poster on his Twitter, it was not yet clear whether a fight would really take place between them or whether it was just another joke.
MMA Vs Boxing. pic.twitter.com/qgl8tKvT5s
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) 8 мая 2016 г.
Michael Phelps has already raced a celebrity before: in 2009, he and former NBA player Shaquille O'Neal competed in a race on O'Neal's show "Shaq Vs." The swimmer recently taunted O'Neal about racing him once again.
@SHAQ I hear you want to race again??? Any truth to this? Def not coming outta retirement but I'll def give you a chance to "try" to win😁
— Michael Phelps (@MichaelPhelps) 6 августа 2017 г.
