The highly anticipated clash between Michael Chandler and Conor McGregor remains in limbo, with Chandler suggesting the Irishman might be prioritizing a trilogy fight with Nate Diaz instead.
Although they served as coaches on The Ultimate Fighter 31 earlier this year, they never stepped into the octagon themselves. Chandler thinks that McGregor is intentionally delaying the fight.
Chandler said on Steve-O’s Wild Ride!:
“I think right now he’s trying to wait me out… I mean, because if you were him, would you want to wait as long as possible for the guy like me, who’s a real fighter, who wants to be in there, who wants to compete so that I say, ‘Screw it, I’m gonna go fight someone else’ and then he can go fight an easier fight: Nate Diaz.”[h/t:MMAFighting]
Furthermore, Chandler argues that dodging him would damage McGregor’s image:
“It looks really bad on everyone’s part if Conor comes back and doesn’t fight me.”
He acknowledges McGregor’s managerial team might be advocating for a softer touch but stands firm in his belief that facing him is the only move that preserves the Irishman’s reputation as a true fighter.
Check out Michael Chandler’s comments below:
Meanwhile, Nate Diaz remains a free agent after his boxing debut against Jake Paul in June 2023.
Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler: The Irishman’s ‘patience running thin’ with lack of concrete fight announcement from UFC
Conor McGregor, amidst the glitz of Saudi Arabia’s ‘Day of Reckoning’ boxing event, unleashed his frustration with the UFC’s silence on his long-awaited return. The Irishman sidelined since a 2021 leg break, expressed irritation at the lack of a concrete fight announcement despite the initial hype surrounding his coaching stint on The Ultimate Fighter 31 and a potential clash with Michael Chandler.
McGregor’s simmering resentment boiled over during a talkSPORT interview:
“So the lads [in Saudi Arabia] are talking Manny [Pacquiao], the UFC aren’t talking any… I was supposed to be back in April, supposed to be December… For all the figures I’ve brought this game, I sell more than all of them combined… No one in the history of the fight game has been treated the way I’m getting treated… My patience is wearing thin.”
Check out Conor McGregor’s interview below (01:25 mark):
