Some things in HBO’s Game Of Thrones are the product of special effects. Gregor Clegane, a.k.a. Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson’s “The Mountain” is not one of those things. And when the naturally enormous Björnsson isn’t pretending to terrorize, rape, and skull-crunch half of Westeros, he keeps busy by playing the Game Of Strongest Men, where you either win, or you suffer hernias, ruptured organs, and compound fractures. He also dabbles in shattering 1,000-year-old strength records, and accomplishing the previously impossible feat of making kettle-ball workouts look cool.
Given all that, this video feels like Björnsson lost a (non-strength-based) bet, or is just doing a pal a favor by sparring with Conor McGregor. Despite what perspective suggests, McGregor is not a 6-year-old, but the UFC’s number-one featherweight contender. Like a competitive eater sitting down to discover 397 pounds of frankfurters on his plate, the MMA fighter doesn’t even seem to have a strategy for approaching his quarry. Meanwhile, Björnsson exhibits the demeanor of a new uncle, delighted by the spurtive arm waving of his drooling baby nephew.
By the end, Björnsson voluntarily drops to his knees, allowing McGregor to attempt a submission. The reason why fighters are grouped into classes becomes all-too evident, as McGregor struggles as if he’s attempting to reposition a garbage dumpster filled with cement.