The official announcement of Conor McGregor’s comeback fight is still pending, sparking speculation that Michael Chandler might not be his opponent upon his return. Despite serving as coaches for season 31 of ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ and the anticipation for a post-finale showdown, the confirmation of their clash is still pending.
Rumors are suggesting that ‘The Notorious‘ could potentially choose a different opponent. In a recent interview, Chandler reiterated his commitment to facing McGregor and offered his thoughts on a potential date for the bout. The explosive lightweight added that Conor becoming a father recently also has much to do with the postponed fight.
“I wish him nothing but the best and congratulations to him and D on their fourth child. Obviously, that’s a huge milestone in someone’s life so that could be a part of the reason why the fight is getting pushed back further than we thought.”– said Michael Chandler to ESPN’s Marc Raimondi.
Nevertheless, ‘Iron’ is happy with the fact that Conor is back in the gym for some serious training and is positive about their fight happening pretty soon.
Conor McGregor will regain eligibility to compete starting from January 1, 2024. The separation between USADA and UFC on the same date implies that McGregor won’t be obligated to undergo a six-month testing period. As of now, all the main events for UFC events up to UFC 299 have been officially revealed.
Michael Chandler is not happy with Conor McGregor after his face-off with Petr Yan
Michael Chandler subtly criticized Conor McGregor for facing off with Petr Yan. The two UFC fighters, McGregor and Yan, shared an intense stare-down at an IBA boxing event in Dubai, with the IBA President mediating with the championship belt.
Conor McGregor was initially anticipated to make his UFC comeback against Michael Chandler in 2023 following the conclusion of season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter reality show. However, the anticipated fight has not materialized.
Looking for a 135er or preferably a 125er to face off with, on camera, at an obscure event…any takers? I need relevancy…
— Michael Chandler (@MikeChandlerMMA) December 10, 2023
Chandler took to social media to mock McGregor for staring down a fighter who is two to three weight classes below him, stating: “Looking for a 135er or preferably a 125er to face off with, on camera, at an obscure event…any takers? I need relevancy…”
Conor McGregor hasn’t participated in professional competition since his leg break during the trilogy fight against Dustin Poirier in July 2021. In contrast, Michael Chandler made his return over a year ago, experiencing a third-round submission loss to Poirier in his latest Octagon appearance.