Michael Chandler last competed inside the Octagon in November 2022 at UFC 281 against Dustin Poirier. The top-ranked UFC Lightweight will turn 38 on April 24 later this year. So, what’s keeping Chandler away from stepping inside the Octagon again at the tail-end of his MMA career? A massive payday against Conor McGregor.
Chandler stands to make more money by fighting the former two-division champion than by making the walk to the UFC Octagon a couple more times, so for him to wait outside and wait for McGregor does seem like a wise decision. And he is not letting go, even pulling off a promo during a WWE event this past week.
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Moreover, having lost against most top-ranked contenders, including Gaethje, Poirier, and Chandler, even a win against Conor McGregor might not put him in the title contention. But even in a loss, Chandler will walk out with his highest paycheck.
Michael Chandler reveals he was supposed to fight Conor McGregor at UFC 300
In a recent appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Michael Chandler shared a few details on the ongoing negotiations with Conor McGregor. However, he added how the time away from the Octagon has allowed him to spend time with his family. Chandler can’t wait to take on McGregor, a fight that he has “way too many assurances” that it is happening.
“There is a lot of complicated stuff happening behind the scenes. Nobody has had to feel like they have waited longer than me. I have been ready to fight right after The Ultimate Fighter.”
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“But I also understand the time off has been good. The time with my family has been good. Business has been booming outside of me, fighting in a cage for a paycheck.”
“Conor has got his stuff going on. He is now promoting Road House, that’s coming out in March. Obviously, there was the USADA stuff, and now the new drug testing. Plus, with what Dana has said, man. Money complicates things.”
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Chandler has remained quite professional except for the occasional social media back and forth. He even credited Conor McGregor for his success while talking about negotiating with someone as rich and successful as The Notorious.
“What he has built, what he has mastered. Whether you love him or hate him, you got to respect what the man has built, right? It has complicated things; the Chandler train is continuing to move forward. We are not getting off this train. I can’t tell you a date, I can’t tell you a weight, but I can tell you the fight is happening, and I have way too many assurances that this fight is happening to think otherwise.” Chandler said to Ariel Helwani on the MMA Hour.
Michael Chandler on Conor McGregor:
I can’t tell you a date. I can’t tell you a weight, but I can tell you the fight is happening.#TheMMAHour pic.twitter.com/Rfps80RjyR
— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman) February 21, 2024
“UFC 300 made a lot of sense. It really did. That was what it was going to be. Why wouldn’t you want to be and headline the biggest card that the UFC has ever put on, right? But ultimately, it’s not. We stay patient, we stay training, we stay ready.”
Chandler’s comment, “That was what it was going to be,” goes against Dana White’s statement that Chandler vs McGregor was never a choice for UFC 300. But for many fans, it was at the top of the list. And continues to remain one of the most awaited UFC fights of 2024.
Pereira vs Hill will headline UFC 300 in Las Vegas on April 13, marking Poatan’s first title defence of the LHW gold.