Former lightweight title challenger, Michael Chandler claims the possibility of him facing off with long-time foe, Conor McGregor at the middleweight limit is currently up in the air as far as he is concerned, however, he’s locked in for the possibility of a slated June 29. clash with the UFC star.
Chandler, the current number five ranked lightweight contender, has been sidelined since he featured at UFC 281 back in November 2022, suffering a third round rear-naked choke submission loss to Dustin Poirier in a rallying performance from the former interim champion.
Coming up on three years away from the Octagon, ex-two-weight champion, McGregor has yet to feature since he fractured his left tibia and fibula in a first round doctor’s stoppage TKO loss to Poirier at UFC 264 in the pair’s trilogy rubber match.
However, over the course of last weekend, McGregor revealed he would be returning to the Octagon at an earmarked UFC 302 card during International Fight Week next – featuring on June 29. in a middleweight fight against The Ultimate Fighter 31 opposing coach, Chandler.
Michael Chandler confident of fighting Conor McGregor in June
And whilst the promotion have yet to officially comment or confirm the middleweight clash between McGregor and Kill Cliff FC staple, Chandler, the latter remains receptive to a clash at 185 pounds for the first time in his career, however, is not completely sold.
“I have a hundred percent confidence that I’m fighting Conor McGregor on June 29.” Michael Chandler told ESPN recently. “Ultimately, I’m 50-50 on it [a middleweight fight]. And ultimately, it doesn’t matter. I spent five weeks around Conor. I don’t care if he wants to fight at 185 [pounds], 170, 205, whatever it might be. You’ve got to remember: He doesn’t want to fight at 155 because he wants everybody to believe he’s bigger than he is. He, in his mind, can’t fight at 170, because I called him out at 170, therefore he’s doing what I said at 170.”
“So, he has to say 185, just like he did in the intro scene of The Ultimate Fighter telling me it was gonna be at 185,” Michael Chandler continued. “I don’t give a rip about what the weight is. … The UFC and Conor can figure that out and let me know what they’re thinking, and i can have an opinion on it. But as of right now, I couldn’t care less about the weight. The date and the opponent was all that matters.’
Who wins in a middleweight fight at UFC 302: Conor McGregor or Michael Chandler?