Former lightweight title challenger, Michael Chandler claims he’s “not worried” by talk of a potential Conor McGregor clash with Dan Hooker, doubting the UFC would be even interested in pairing him with the Kiwi striker over him next.
Chandler, who will snap two-year hiatus from action next month, takes on former undisputed lightweight champion, Charles Oliveira in a five round rematch in the co-main event of UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden, attempting to return to winning ways and avenge a prior defeat.
Last featuring in 2022 in the same month against former interim champion, Dustin Poirier, Chandler was submitted with a third round rear-naked choke in New York — and missed out on a UFC 303 welterweight headliner with McGregor earlier this summer, with the Dubliner fracturing a toe just weeks from the pairing.
Michael Chandler plays down potential Conor McGregor, Dan Hooker fight
However, over the course of the weekend, McGregor claimed he would be making his return to action on February 1. in Saudi Arabia against City Kickboxing striker, Hooker, however, Chandler claims he’s not nearly worried about losing a lucrative clash with the Dubliner next, doubting the UFC’s interest in a pairing.
“Conor’s (McGregor) a very flavor-of-the-week kind of guy,” Michael Chandler told Ariel Helwani for Uncrowned. “He just had a conversation with Dan Hooker like; ‘Hey, man, I like you, you like me, we can make some magic, let’s fight each other.’”
So, I looked no further than that, honestly,” Conor McGregor explained. “I don’t think the UFC is going to be very keen on McGegor versus (Dan) Hooker compared to McGregor versus Chandler since we need to make this fight happen, so I’m not really that worried about it.”