It’s not about the money, according to Michael Chandler. Its about the chance to face a legend that has revolutionized the sport of mixed martial arts.
You catch more flies with honey than vinegar, as the old saying goes. Which may be why UFC lightweight contender Michael Chandler is taking the unusual path of respectfully calling out Conor McGregor.
Most of the other guys at lightweight and beyond tend to take cheap shots at the injured “Notorious,” which may make for entertaining headlines and over the top McGregor responses. But it’s unclear how likely they are to result in an actual red panty night.
Chandler’s respectful route? It’s already resulted in a positive response from McGregor: “I’m down at some stage for sure.”
“Iron Mike” elaborated on his wish to fight Conor on a recent appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani.
“Everyone wants Conor, obviously,” he said (via MMA News). “But I think I want to fight him for a different reason. Everybody wants to fight Conor because it’s a big payday. I’m here in mixed martial arts to do big things, to be in big fights, big stages, against big opponents, in big arenas, with a lot of eyeballs. That’s what excites me about a fight with Conor.”
“I’ve got a lot of respect for Conor, and people will discredit what he has done because of certain things that he’s said, but what he has done is revolutionize the entire sport. The sport of mixed martial arts is better because Conor McGregor is in it. It’s bigger, and it’s got more eyeballs on it because of what Conor’s done. So to share the Octagon with him, that’s why I want to do it.”
Chandler understands that it’s gonna be a while before McGregor steps back into the cage, what with that nasty leg break he suffered in July of 2020.
“Conor, I wish him well in his recovery,” he concluded. “It looks like on his social media, he’s back out there, he’s training, he’s moving around, but he needs some time. He deserves some time. He’s set for life, he doesn’t need to fight. He fights because he loves, and he fights because of what it does for his soul, what he gets to do with his platform.”
So what do you say, Maniacs. Are you guys hyped about a potential Michael Chandler vs. Conor McGregor match up?