Conor McGregor is set to make his much-awaited return! Recently, there were rumors that he will be a coach in the upcoming The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) season. While Tony Ferguson wanted to be the coach opposite McGregor, there were doubts about it happening. But UFC President Dana White has just confirmed that Conor will indeed be in the upcoming TUF season.
However, it will not be Tony Ferguson on the other side of Conor. It will be the former Bellator champ and fan favorite Michael Chandler. Ever since coming into the company, Chandler has campaigned for a potential McGregor fight. After knocking out Tony at UFC 274, Chandler cut a passionate promo where he called out the first-ever UFC double champ.
Dana White announces it will be McGregor, Chandler as TUF coaches, and they’ll fight at the end of the season, which begins in May.
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) February 4, 2023
Now it seems like his dream is finally coming true as he is set to star in UFC’s OG show opposite McGregor. Dana White took to the official social media platforms to announce the news. However, not only will Conor and Michael will be a part of the show, but the two coaches will also fight at the end of the season. So MMA fans can finally cherish the return of the sport’s most famous superstar.
Conor McGregor will fight Michael Chandler later in 2023
The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) has been a show which was credited as the program to save the company. Hence, despite not generating earth-shattering ratings, Dana White kept the show going. The most memorable edition of the show, in recent years, was TUF 22, where Conor and Urijah Faber were featured as coaches. From Conor’s rage to his witty quips, fans still fondly remember the season.
Hence, Conor coming back to the show will be an injection of life that the show needed desperately. Despite recent losses and injuries, the 34-year-old is still the top dog in the company. So there is no doubt that the company will keep no stone unturned to promote the show. McGregor himself has been in the headlines for some wrong reasons.
So this will definitely be a platform for Conor to do, what he does best. Fans will once again be hoping to see him tear it up with his sense of humor. Although Chandler has been quite complimentary of Conor so far, fans can expect to see a much more aggressive side of him. They will fight in an ESPN+ PPV at the end of the season. So when will the show air?
The Ultimate Fighter season 31 will air on May
The Ultimate Fighter had some lackluster seasons in recent times. Season 29 featured Brian Ortega and the current featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski as coaches. Season 30 had Julianna Pena and Amanda Nunes as the coaches. Although they were quite entertaining in their own right, none were thunderous successes. So when is season 31 airing?
McGREGOR vs CHANDLER IS CONFIRMED!!@TheNotoriousMMA and @MikeChandlerMMA will officially coach the next season of #TUF31! pic.twitter.com/effjf0Rg2M
— UFC (@ufc) February 4, 2023
UFC President Dana White announced the news and he added, “This season premiers May 30th and runs through Tuesday, August 15th on ESPN, the network, and ESPN+.”
So what are your thoughts on the announcement? Are you excited about the show? Or do you think the format is outdated? Let us know in the comments down below.
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