The IRL Hound and Mountain have already started talking smack in preparation for Cleganebowl

Cleganebowl is happening, it’s really happening! And in preparation for the highly anticipated face-off between brothers Sandor “The Hound” Clegane and Gregor “The Mountain” Clegane, actors Rory McCann and Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson have already started talking shit.

Fans have theorized that Cleganebowl would happen for some time.

While it has yet to be confirmed in any official capacity, the Hound pretty much made that threat in the Game of Thrones Season 7 finale.

“You know who’s coming for you. You’ve always known,” he told his brother, among other things. And given that he’s held onto his grudge against the Mountain for burning his face this long, we’re expecting he’ll follow through on his word.

As it turns out, the actors behind the brothers are taking the potential, and very likely, fight just as seriously.

McCann has even started working out in preparation. “If it happens, fantastic. Listen, I’ve started training already,” he said in an interview with HuffPost. As for the characters’ odds, “There’s absolutely no chance he’ll win. It’s 100 percent that I will win,” McCann said. “The Hound will win.”

Which is funny, because that’s exactly what Björnsson told Entertainment Weekly — that the Mountain would win Cleganebowl, “100 percent.”

“I haven’t seen it yet in my head how I would kill him, but somehow I would smash his head or kill him like that,” he told Entertainment Weekly. “I think the fight would be quick rather than something long. I think people would be expecting a big fight, but I would finish him really fast. It would be a surprise to people.”

I mean, you saw what happened to the Viper…

McCann isn’t letting that get to his head. “That’s ring talk. I’ve seen that all before. He knows I can still move pretty fast and I’ll be the little Jack Russell around his feet, kicking him in the balls and slapping him on the head,” he told HuffPost.

I mean, you remember how scrappy he was in his fight with Brienne. We all thought he was a goner.

Who knows how Cleganebowl will turn out exactly, but one thing is for sure: It’ll be a thrilling fight. So, um, Season 8 — your move.

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