"Dana does not play checkers, he plays chess" - Chael Sonnen shares his take on why Conor McGregor might never fight again
Chael Sonnen weighed in on the debate about whether Conor McGregor will fight again in the UFC and shared his thoughts on the probable comeback of the first simultaneous two-division champion.
A few weeks ago, McGregor was found liable by an Irish civil court for the sexual assault of victim Nikita Hand and was ordered by the jury to pay damages. Ever since then, conversations have sparked about whether 'The Notorious' will ever return to the octagon. Many pundits believe this is the time for him to make his comeback.
Former UFC light heavyweight title challenger Sonnen also joined the debate and shared an Instagram video suggesting a few potential opponents for the Irish fighter and explaining why UFC CEO Dana White might or might not make the fight happen. Sonnen said:
“Conor McGregor fights again or Conor doesn’t fight again, and you probably go 70:30 or 60:40. Who are you going to put him with? Michael Chandler was a perfect opponent. Chandler still works. Let’s say you remove Chandler—who do you put him with? Masvidal versus Conor? You’d really like to see that, I get it, but you’re not going to. Nate Diaz versus Conor? You’d have a real box office there.”
Sonnen also stated that White understands the business and will not book a fight unless it leads to something significant. He said:
“What do we think Dana is going to do? Dana doesn’t play checkers; he plays chess. He’s several steps ahead, and if your match doesn’t have meaning for the future—a potential to take you somewhere else—White will not book that match.”
Check out Chael Sonnen's comments below:
Dana White addresses Conor McGregor’s potential return
It’s been more than three and a half years since Conor McGregor last fought. He was last seen in the octagon against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264, where he broke his leg in the first round, and he hasn’t made a comeback since.
The Irish fighter was, however, scheduled to face Michael Chandler at UFC 303, but he withdrew from the bout a few weeks before the fight due to a toe injury.
When asked about McGregor’s ongoing legal case, Dana White declined to comment but provided a potential timeline for McGregor’s return. Speaking at the UFC 310 post-fight press conference, White said:
"If I had a comment [about McGregor's ongoing case] I would have put it out already. He hasn't been fighting here in how long? If he does fight, it will be sometime next year."
Check out Dana White’s comments below: