In the meantime, the lightweight contender has gotten into the alcohol business with the aptly named ‘Hiatus Tequila.’
Michael Chandler is doing another media run, but he still doesn’t have an official update regarding his long-awaited fight against Conor McGregor.
Chandler teased a big announcement before appearing on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, but it turned out to be an investment deal with an alcohol company. “Iron Mike” is now, somewhat ironically, a co-owner in Hiatus Tequila. It’s appropriate considering he’s been stuck in hiatus waiting for McGregor since November 2022.
On a new episode of The MMA Hour, Chandler admitted to getting frustrated at times about delays in the fight, but he’s mostly zen about the situation.
“Hey, it’s going to work out the way it’s going to, just like me coming to the UFC,” he said. “That door stayed closed until it was time for that door to open. The door opening for this fight with Conor, whenever it’s finally supposed to be, it will be, and I’m just being at peace in the midst of the waiting.”
“Chandler vs. Conor is happening. I don’t have a date or a location or a UFC number for you, but it’s definitely going to happen next year. So we’re going to enjoy the holidays and we’re going to stay in shape, and then we go back into training camp in January and I will train my tail off until that fight happens.”
Speaking to TMZ Sports, the former Bellator champion was a bit more specific.
“From everything that I’ve been hearing, first quarter of 2024 is when the fight will be happening,” he said. “He can’t run forever. Sometime in the first quarter of 2024, we’re expecting it to happen so today was not the announcement of that fight, but expect an announcement coming soon, hopefully.”