Conor McGregor suffered a career-threatening leg injury during his fight against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264. He is on a two-fight losing streak for the first time in his MMA career and many fans speculate that he will never be the same upon his return.
Besides that, Conor McGregor has also been heavily criticized for his trash talk to Dustin Poirier and his wife leading up to the fight. This is not the first time Conor McGregor has made controversial comments during the build-up of a fight as he was criticized for his trash talk leading up to the Khabib Nurmagomedov fight as well.
Overall, it does not seem like Conor McGregor is at a great place in his MMA career. Though he claims he will come back next year stronger than ever not all the fans believe in his claims. However, UFC lightweight title contender, Michael Chandler believes McGregor can make a successful comeback after the freak injury at UFC 264.
In a recent IG live, Chandler stated:
“He has already come back from ACL injuries, he has already come back from a broken foot and all kinds of stuff so he has come back from a lot. At the risk of sounding like a fan, I do think what the guy does is intriguing. Everything he does is intriguing. The way he trains, the way he fights, the way he brings about the fight week, the way he begins attention he is a master at it I would love to fight him once he comes back. But he definitely needs a fight that is gonna keep him relevant but also a fight that he can win.”
Also Read: Conor is better than we think he is- Michael Chandler says McGregor could have beaten Dustin Poirier
Michael Chandler welcomes a fight with Conor McGregor
Michael Chandler also showed interest in a future matchup with Conor McGregor and said: “Of course, I would fight Conor. I still think Conor is one of the top guys in the division. He is getting a hard time right now because of his antics because he is so loud and proud he falls hard. But heavy is the crown. The guy is the king of promotion, the king of getting people interested. So heavy is the crown and that fall from grace is really tough.”
Also Read: Michael Chandler calls out Justin Gaethje for declining to fight him
It’s very likely that McGregor will make his return by the end of 2022. But, can he compete against the top lightweights after his return is what intrigues the fans. Anderson Silva’s MMA career took a slide after his horrific leg injury and the fans may see a similar outcome in McGregor’s career.
However, these are only speculations and the fans will have to wait to see what version of McGregor they will get once he returns.