Michael Chandler wants in on the Conor McGregor belt.
Chandler battles Charles Oliveira for the vacant lightweight title in the UFC 262 headliner taking place May 15 in Houston, Texas. McGregor, meanwhile, will meet Dustin Poirier in a trilogy fight in the UFC 264 headliner taking place July 10 in Las Vegas.
The Irishman also notably suggested the introduction of a McGregor belt recently and Chandler is all for the idea as he wants it on the line should they meet later this year. Along with the lightweight title he plans on winning against Oliviera.
“I love it, man,” Chandler told Helen Yee (via BJ Penn). “It’s Conor being Conor. Listen, I mean you can say what you want about Conor, but the dude’s the biggest combat sports icon on the planet. Not just right now, but he has been for a while and he will be for the foreseeable future.
“I don’t think (the McGregor belt) is going to happen. I think it’s kind of a cool idea. I love the prospect of him beating Dustin Poirier and me putting my belt on the line in November or December, and him putting the Conor McGregor belt on the line in November or December. I’d love a patek rare belt sitting on my collection. I want to share the Octagon with Conor McGregor sooner or later eventually before I retire, so we’ll see if it happens after I beat Charles Oliveira. How many fights it will take, we’ll see.”
It’s definitely likely that the winner of those two fights will end up meeting each other. Whether it is Chandler and McGregor remains to be seen as of now as it could easily be Poirier and Oliveira clashing for the lightweight title as well.
What do you think of this matchup? Who wins?