Despite finding himself tied to a fight with former lightweight title challenger, Michael Chandler all year, former UFC champion, Conor McGregor has been tipped to abandon the matchup in pursuit of a bigger name, according to ex-champion, Henry Cejudo.
McGregor a former undisputed lightweight and featherweight champion under the banner of the UFC, has been sidelined since he headlined a July 2021 event against Dustin Poirier, fracturing his left tibia and fibula – resulting in a doctor’s stoppage TKO loss.
In his last outing, Chandler suffered a third round rear-naked choke submission defeat to common-foe, Poirier as the two squared off at UFC 281 in November of last year at Madison Square Garden.
As for Cejudo, the former flyweight and bantamweight champion snapped a three year hiatus from the sport back in May, suffering a close, split decision defeat to reigning bantamweight best, Aljamain Sterling.
Conor McGregor backed to turn down Michael Chandler fight
However, despite the fact Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler have been tied to a potential December fight at the welterweight limit all year, Cejudo laid out a scenario in which the former actually abandons a fight with Chandler for his return.
“I could see them skipping (Michael) Chandler,” Henry Cejudo told The Schmo during a recent interview. “I could see Conor (McGregor) just saying, ‘Hey, I’m gonna want this guy’. Chandler’s entertaining, but he’s not a big name. There’s no UFC belt, around him. He’s not a legend in the UFC. He’s an entertainment of the UFC, but he hasn’t got there yet.”
Without a victory since UFC 246 back in January of 2020, McGregor most recently landed a 40-second high kick and strikes stoppage win over incoming UFC Hall of Fame inductee, Donald Cerrone.