Daniel Cormier breaks down Conor McGregor's "Dr. Evil" antics, predicts "compounded" impact on Michael Chandler who stands defiant
Daniel Cormier has put forth his analysis of Conor McGregor's recent actions and has likened the MMA megastar to Dr. Evil. Additionally, 'DC' addressed Michael Chandler's approach to their long-running feud.
McGregor, who's been on an injury hiatus since July 2021, featured as a coach on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 31 in 2023 opposite rival coach Chandler. The consensus has been that the Irish UFC great's comeback matchup would see him fight Chandler.
The long-awaited Conor McGregor return announcement was made by the Irishman himself in a video posted to social media heading into the 2024 New Year. McGregor smiled, laughed, and announced that his comeback fight would be a middleweight bout against Chandler during International Fight Week on June 29, 2024.
In a video on his YouTube channel, Daniel Cormier suggested that Conor McGregor's announcement is a power play. He alluded that McGregor is a former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion and has fought at welterweight too, whereas 'Iron' briefly competed at welterweight and primarily performs at lightweight.
'DC' implied that McGregor is asserting his dominance, while 'Iron' is being subservient. He drew parallels between McGregor's behavior in the announcement video and the villainous fictional character, Dr. Evil, from the Austin Powers Hollywood franchise.
Cormier explained that McGregor is utilizing his status as MMA's biggest draw and coercing Chandler to fight on his terms. He stated:
"Why is he saying 185? Well, you've gotta watch the video. And you hear the laugh at the end. It's like Dr. Evil from the Austin Powers show. You remember Dr. Evil would make these little jokes, and he would laugh, and he would put his finger in his face because he knew he was being bad. And that's what McGregor's doing. McGregor's being bad. McGregor's playing the game."
'DC' labeled McGregor the villain/puppetmaster against Chandler, as 'Iron' has chosen to be the "good guy" in the feud. He added:
"He should've said to hell with it. And I believe if he'd have said to hell with it, McGregor probably would've come back to him a little sooner. But he never did, so now, it's compounded. Now, Conor is saying he has to fight him at middleweight, a weight 30 pounds heavier than Michael Chandler fights at consistently."
Watch Cormier's assessment below (2:04):
When Conor McGregor foreshadowed potential middleweight bout against Michael Chandler
In the first half of 2023, a TUF Season 31 teaser gave fans a look at an face-to-face interaction between Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler. It was their first since their coaching roles were announced, with tradition indicating they'll clash inside the octagon after the season ends.
During that meeting with 'Iron,' McGregor seemingly foretold that their much-discussed possible fight could be contested at middleweight. Upon hearing the Irishman say that they'd likely clash at 185 pounds, Chandler responded by expressing that he's up for the challenge. 'The Notorious' famously fired back by stating:
"You'll do what you're told."
Watch the Conor McGregor-Michael Chandler interaction below: