Last year, for reasons known only to Justin Bieber, Justin Bieber randomly challenged Tom Cruise to a mixed martial arts “fight in the octagon.”
“Tom if you dont [sic] take this fight your [sic] scared and you will never live it down,” were his exact words, posted to Twitter. Signaling his sincerity, he went on to tag Ultimate Fighting Championship president Dana White, asking, “Who is willing to put on the fight?”
Days later, despite White’s willingness, Bieber backed off, citing Cruise’s “dad strength.” But even now, in his heart of hearts, Bieber appears to believe that if push came to literal shove, he could take Tom Cruise.
In last night’s Carpool Karaoke episode, host James Corden asked Bieber why he felt compelled to throw down the gauntlet back in June. “I don’t know, I was just being stupid, to be honest,” Bieber responded. “But people were like, ‘I want to see this happen,’ and I was like, ‘You know what? That could actually be funny.’”
Corden disagreed, interjecting, “I don’t think it would be much fun for you,” and that he would “back Tom every day of the week” in a fight against the Biebs, who naturally took offense.
“I’m trying not to let my ego get in the way, but there’s absolutely no way,” the 25-year-old singer continued, directing his thousand-yard stare out the window. “He’s not the guy you see in movies. That’s a character …Phenomenal shape doesn’t mean you’re a good fighter.”
Bieber, by contrast, is “dangerous.” His “agility is insane.” He is “the Conor McGregor of entertainment.” All according to Bieber.
It’s perhaps worth noting that, at the time he filmed this episode, Bieber had his mustache on and was feeling correspondingly rebellious. But now his mustache is gone, and maybe his fighting spirit went with it. Who knows? Perhaps he’s returned to his poetry.