'Game of Thrones' season 7 release date, news: UFC head Dana White hints that Conor McGregor is joining the show

Reuters/Joshua Dahl-USA TODAY Sports

Conor McGregor reacts after his win against Nate Diaz at UFC 202.

Remember the rumors saying HBO wants Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweight champion Conor McGregor to appear in the upcoming season of "Game of Thrones"? Well, it turns out the rumors may be true after all.

During a chat with Fox Sports Live, UFC exec Dana White spilled the beans that he already knew HBO was interested in casting McGregor a few months ago. "I knew that a few months ago that they were interested in putting him in the show. I'm glad he did it. It'll be great. The show is huge â€” it's awesome. I'm excited for him," he said. Here's a look at the full interview. His comment came at the 4:40 mark of the video.

White said he was "glad he did it." Well, the UFC head might not have outright confirmed that McGregor was going to appear on the show, but his little hint was not subtle at all.

Earlier this week, The Sunday Life (via Belfast Live) reported that McGregor was in talks with a star in one of the final two seasons of "Game of Thrones." "He was headhunted as it were by HBO, as one of the Game of Thrones directors is a huge UFC fan. They believed that he would be a perfect fit for the show," the publication's source said.

Well, it's a known fact that showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss are fans of the UFC, but the rumor doesn't have a leg to stand on before White's interview with Fox Sports Live. So, what is McGregor's role in the show?

Reports suggest the UFC champion may play one of Euron's (Pilou Asbæk) Ironborn minions. Theon's (Alfie Allen) not going to be happy if that is true. The guy just can't catch a break.

Or maybe McGregor will have another sparring session with Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, the actor portraying Gregor Clegane aka The Mountain. That will be a fight to behold.