Marshall Mathers, widely recognized as Eminem, once stirred excitement among fans by hyping up the anticipation for Conor McGregor's return to the UFC.
'The Notorious' made a comeback to the octagon in January 2021, headlining UFC 257 in a long-awaited rematch against Dustin Poirier following a year-long hiatus. Coinciding with this epic return, Eminem dropped a track titled 'Higher' from his album 'MUSIC TO BE MURDERED BY - SIDE B'.
In the song's visual narrative, the 51-year-old American rapper transformed into a warrior, confronting his inner struggles amidst the gritty world of UFC. The video featured as part of ESPN's pre-show for UFC 257 also featured cameo appearances by UFC CEO Dana White and ESPN's Michael Eaves, as they engaged in a mock pre-fight interview with Eminem before his showdown.
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In a move to drum up excitement for the Poirier vs. McGregor rematch, Eminem collaborated with ESPN, the official broadcaster of the UFC, to release a captivating fight promo featuring his song, titled "Survival Mode!."
Check out the promotional video below:
Fans reacted to the video with a diverse range of reactions.
"A powerful song with a powerful message."
"Higher is my favorite song on Side B, and I love to see it being used already for UFC promo."
Check out some more reactions below:
"We could safely say he uses Marshall arts."
"EMINEM X McGregor. All we need."
"The crossover I didn't expect but I'm all here for"
How did Conor McGregor fare against Dustin Poirier at UFC 257?
In their initial encounter back in September 2014, Conor McGregor swiftly knocked out Dustin Poirier in under two minutes, establishing himself as the favorite leading into their rematch. However, Poirier turned the tables and avenged his loss against 'The Notorious' at UFC 257.
'The Diamond' weathered an initial onslaught from McGregor before demonstrating his strength and striking ability. He systematically dismantled the former two-division champion with precise leg kicks and followed up with a barrage of powerful punches, rendering McGregor unable to defend himself. This led the referee to stop the bout at 2:32 in the second round.