Michael Chandler has commented on Conor McGregor’s highly anticipated return to the octagon on July 11. While Chandler had envisioned himself as McGregor’s opponent, the UFC appears to have shifted its focus away from making that fight happen.
Chandler and McGregor were set to face off after serving as opposing coaches on The Ultimate Fighter 31 in 2023. Their planned main event clash at UFC 303 in 2024 was ultimately canceled due to an injury sustained by McGregor. Chandler endured a prolonged wait for the bout to be rescheduled. However, with McGregor’s involvement in other commitments, including legal matters, Chandler instead faced Charles Oliveira at UFC 309 and lost by unanimous decision.
Currently on a three-fight losing streak, Chandler is eager to return to winning ways. He is scheduled to fight Mauricio Ruffy on June 14, a bout he predicts will end in a knockout. In a recent interview, Chandler stated, “I’m going to knock out Mauricio Ruffy on the White House lawn, and then we’ll see what happens after that.”
Chandler acknowledged the cancellation of his fight with McGregor, stating that the prospect of that bout now feels distant and he no longer harbors strong emotions about its dissolution. He explained, “It’s funny, man. Me vs. Conor, whether it was The Ultimate Fighter in the lead-up, then the actual training camp, then the pullout of the fight, and the possible rebooking. This whole thing has been an up-and-down soap opera for the better part of a couple of years. As big as it was, as entrenched as I was in it, I just feel like I’m a million miles away now. I don’t really have any emotions about it, and maybe it’s because, obviously, I’m focused on Mauricio Ruffy at the White House.”
Despite the current distance, Chandler still believes a fight between him and McGregor could materialize in the future, either under the UFC banner or in another promotion, given the mutual interest from both sides. He elaborated, “Whether me and Conor fight in the UFC or not, Conor and I will compete against each other at some point, in some venue, somewhere, somehow, some way. The story is there, the animosity is there, but also the mutual respect is already there. It’s got all the makings of a blockbuster. So if it happens down the line, it happens down the line. But I wish him well and it’s good to hear obviously. I know they wanted that fight. I wanted the fight. Obviously the UFC had different plans, and the UFC has every right to make whatever fight they want to make. So, here we are.”
Chandler also extended his well wishes to Conor McGregor for his upcoming fight against Max Holloway, stating, “I wish Conor well. The sport is a better place when Conor McGregor is training and on his way back. Max got the nod. We’ll get to see them compete here. It’s only five weeks away. I’ll be there cageside watching, very interested in how that fight goes.”