SUMMARY
- Michael Chandler has entered full preparation ahead of the biggest fight of his career.
- Recently, Chandler took to his social media account to mock the Irishman for an embarrassing score on the punch machine.
Michael Chandler has entered full preparation ahead of the biggest fight of his career. Taking on Conor McGregor at an undisclosed UFC PPV event later this year, Chandler is more than ready to go. Ahead of the fight, he has also started to play along with McGregor’s mind games as well.
For those unaware, Conor and Michael’s rivalry began when the two were put in as coaches for TUF 31. Whilst Chandler mostly enjoyed a lopsided set of victories, his counterpart was able to pull one out of the bag at the eleventh hour. Notably, the highlight of the show saw the two coaches go at it, with McGregor shoving Chandler on one occasion.
— Michael Chandler (@MikeChandlerMMA) January 11, 2024
Since then, there has been a lot of back-and-forth between the two, mostly on social media. Recently, ‘Iron‘ took to his social media account to mock the Irishman for an embarrassing score of 1 on the punch machine. Whilst the machine likely malfunctioned during the clip, it did not stop Chandler from ripping into his opponent. Playing a clip of Stephen A. Smith saying, “You b*tch”, the American let out a maniacal laugh.
For the most part, Mike has been a model professional during the entire saga with McGregor. Having obliged and done what was asked of him every step of the way, he has always fulfilled his duties. Although he might have played into the “You’ll do what you’re told” bit, Chandler is seemingly losing patience. As such, he is finally fighting fire with fire and showing a certain aggression with his actions.
Michael Chandler and Conor McGregor continue their online squabble
In the lead-up to Conor McGregor’s unofficial announcement on New Year’s Eve, many feel that Michael Chandler was disrespected and almost toyed with at times. Having sat out for more than a year in order to make the fight happen, Conor seemingly pulled the rug from underneath him at the last second.
With talks of a potential UFC 300 appearance, ‘The Notorious One’ began suggesting Chandler take on Renato Moicano instead. At the same time, Michael has often called out McGregor for trying to run away from the fight, often with no response. Eventually, the former title contender’s prayers were finally answered when Conor finally revealed that they would be fighting on June 29, 2024.
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) January 3, 2024
Since the announcement, the UFC has yet to follow up with an official confirmation of the same, likely caught up with preparations for UFC 300. However, that has not stopped McGregor from taking shots at his opponent online. Previously, the 35-year-old hinted at the potential outcome of the fight whilst making a mockery of Chandler’s hard work and dedication.
Despite the fight being more than 5 months out, Chandler has already started his camp. Taking to social media to share his progress, Michael’s commitment to the game is quite evident. At the same time, McGregor has been spotted around the world, enjoying sporting events and having a fun time. As such, it will be interesting to see how their polarizing lifestyles affect them when they eventually fight.