UFC Mailbag: Which fighters fit Homer's Odyssey cast?

MMA Fighting columnist Jed Meshew tackled an unusual mailbag topic this week, casting UFC fighters as characters from Homer's Odyssey in response to the recent Christopher Nolan film adaptation.

Meshew picked Alexander Volkanovski as his lead, calling the former featherweight champion a natural fit for Odysseus. "Grizzled old veteran who is super smart and well-respected by all," he wrote, per MMA Fighting. Steve Erceg landed the role of Telemachus based on his youth and seeming need for a better fighter to help him clear out the riffraff.

McGregor cast as villain Antinous opposite Volk

Conor McGregor drew the part of Antinous, the leader of the suitors and chief antagonist. Meshew passed over Colby Covington for the role, citing McGregor's acting experience and noting he fits the bill as "guy pretending to be good, but is actually terrible." Michael Chandler got slotted as Eurylochus, the second-in-command who undermines Odysseus, with Meshew joking that Chandler would spend his time trying to get the men to "Walk On, and See You At The Top."

Kayla Harrison landed the goddess Athena spot as an advocate skilled at putting people over, while Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano filled out the Circe and Calypso roles. Meshew acknowledged neither actress excels on screen but said Rousey could handle turning men into pigs and Carano could pull off the attractive nymph who traps Odysseus for a decade.

Shara Bullet drew Polyphemus the cyclops in what Meshew called a joke that writes itself. The full 11-character lineup also included Alexa Grasso as Penelope, Daniel Cormier as the loyal Eumaeus, and Justin Gaethje as Menelaus, king of Sparta and lightweight division.

Photo: MMAnytt / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0

Original reporting:

• mmafighting.com — Mailbag: Which UFC fighters would make the best Odyssey cast? | MMA Fighting