Mac the movie star: Russian former UFC fighter Taktarov says he has 'perfect' film role lined up for newly-retired McGregor

Russian former UFC heavyweight-turned-film star Oleg Taktarov claims he has a "preliminary agreement" with the management team of Conor McGregor for the recently-retired Irishman to appear in a movie he's producing.

McGregor announced at the weekend that he was turning his back on the fight game, explaining that it no longer "excited" him.

It was the third such announcement in the past four years from the Irish former two-weight champ, and unsurprisingly spawned skepticism over whether the man known as 'The Notorious' will actually make good on his statement.

But should the 31-year-old Dubliner actually follow through and hang up his gloves, former UFC champ Taktarov claimed he has the perfect opportunity already waiting for him.      

“I have a preliminary agreement with [McGregor's] manager that he will star in my film,” Taktarov told TASS.  

“I'll be happy if his decision to end his career is final. Then I could make this film with him.”

Taktarov envisions the ideal role for McGregor in the film, which will be based on the novel 'Love and Honor' by US writer Randall Wallace - who also wrote the screenplay for smash-hit Hollywood historical drama 'Braveheart'. 

'Love and Honor' follows the fortunes of a Virginia cavalryman during the American War of Independence, who is charged with traveling to Russia to persuade Catherine the Great not to side with the British cause.

"The script is based on the book by Randall Wallace, 'Love and Honor', the rights to it belong to me," Taktarov explained. 

"Conor has to play the role of a young Irish officer, the action will take place during the American Civil War.

"There will be a lot of fights, so he'd be perfectly suited to this role," added Taktarov, who is planning to star in and produce the film. 

Taktarov, 52, has himself appeared in Hollywood films alongside the likes of Will Smith in 'Bad Boys II' and Harrison Ford in 'Air Force One', typically portraying gruff Russian muscle-for-hire. 

He claimed once McGregor had dipped his toe into the acting waters, he wouldn't go back to the octagon. 

“There haven’t been fighters [like McGregor] who would act in films and then returned to win tournaments. You won’t return anymore [after making films],” he said. 

McGregor and Taktarov would appear to already share common ground, having both been involved in spats with UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. 

McGregor was famously defeated by the Russian in a bitter grudge match in 2018, with a war of words ongoing between the pair to this day.

Taktarov, meanwhile, has been accused of making derogatory remarks about Khabib's Dagestan homeland, prompting the UFC champ to 'like' an Instagram post in which Taktarov was referred to as a "prostitute" earlier this year.

The veteran heavyweight has claimed however that he remains on good terms with the Nurmagomedov family. 

McGregor is unlikely to be short of offers from Hollywood and beyond if and when he does call it a day in the octagon, being one of the most bankable stars in sporting world. 

The Irishman's famous silver tongue would be an asset in the movie industry, while his honed physique and cocksure demeanor would likely add to his blockbuster appeal. 

Fellow UFC fighters to have dabbled in the film industry include British brawler Michael Bisping, who appeared in 'xXx' with Vin Diesel, and women's star Ronda Rousey, who had roles in 'The Expendables' and the recent 'Charlie's Angels' reboot.