Former lightweight championship challenger, Michael Chandler appears to be dumbfounded regarding the lack of movement on his earmarked fight with UFC rival, Conor McGregor – questioning what the “holdup” on a bout between the two is.
Chandler, a former lightweight title challenger and the current number five ranked lightweight contender, has been sidelined from the Octagon for over a year, suffering a third round rear-naked choke submission loss to common-foe, Dustin Poirier back in November of last year most recently.
As for McGregor, the Dubliner has been sidelined for the last two years from active competition, most recently dropping a first round doctor’s stoppage TKO loss to Poirier in July 2021, having fractured his left tibia and fibula in the opening round of their pairing.
But expected to make his comeback to the Octagon next year – amid continued links to a UFC 300 headlining slot, McGregor has voiced his displeasure by his continued absence from the sport, claiming a return this month was initially earmarked, before the Dana White-led promotion went in an alternate direction.
Michael Chandler talks UFC return with Conor McGreghor
And as far as Chandler is concerned, the apparent lack of movement on the fight is something out of his hands, questioning the lack of traction on a bout for him and the Crumlin striker.
“I said I wanted to fight him (Conor McGregor) at 170 pounds because he was so big and he was so beefy…” Michael Chandler said on Steve-O’s Wild Ride podcast. “He was really big so I was like, ‘Okay, there’s no way he’s going to fight at 155 pounds.” I don’t want to fight at 155 pounds. I weigh like 190 pounds. I would love to fight at 170 pounds so I figured I’d call him out at 170 pounds.”
“He looks like he’s training a lot,” Michael Chandler explained. “That’s the thing. Whether he’s training just for those 15 seconds and puts out a clip, or he’s training for hours, he looks like he’s training and he’s getting in better shape so I don’t know what the holdup is, Conor?”