"Fighting is 95% mental" - Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson on why Conor McGregor needs a tune-up bout before potential Michael Chandler fight
Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson recently shared his thoughts on Conor McGregor potentially making his UFC return against Michael Chandler. While Jackson admitted that McGregor's comeback was a massive occasion for MMA fans, he believes the Irishman needs a tune-up fight before he could face Chandler.
After months of speculations, 'The Notorious' announced his highly anticipated return to action on New Year's Eve via social media. He revealed that he will be facing 'Iron' in the octagon sometime during the UFC's annual International Fight Week in June. McGregor also stated that their fight would be a middleweight affair.
While fight fans are hyped about the former two-division champion's return, many have chosen to temper their expectations and believe McGregor could be in for a tough night against Chandler. The Irishman is coming off back-to-back losses to Dustin Poirier and took almost three years off the game due to a nasty leg fracture.
Given the high possibility of ring rust, 'Rampage' recently suggested the Irishman try fighting a lesser opponent before potentially facing Chandler to gain some confidence and get his fight mentality back on track.
During a recent interview with fitness influencer Bradley Martyn, Jackson said:
"I would love to see Conor McGregor come back and entertain us. But he's coming off an injury, and he hasn't had a fight since then... Fighting is 95% mental, and you gotta have a really strong mind to come back from an injury and a long layoff to fight someone like Chandler."
He continued:
"What's very important is warm-up fights... I think Conor McGregor should come back and do a warm-up fight with a lesser opponent just to get his mind back."
Catch Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson's comments below (2:28:50):
Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler: 'Iron' believes he'll be the Irishman's last opponent ever
Michael Chandler recently shared his thoughts on a potential fight against Conor McGrgeor and predicted that the Irishman won't continue fighting professionally after their showdown.
As mentioned above, McGregor has publically announced his next fight date. While the UFC hasn't officially confirmed it, it's worth noting that Chandler has accepted McGregor's proposed date. 'Iron' seemingly has no qualms about fighting at 185 pounds and is already preparing for the biggest fight of his career.
In a recent interview with ESPN's Brett Okamoto, Chandler was asked about fighting McGregor and if he'll be the Irishman's last fight. He replied:
"I do. I think I'll be the last [fight]... I think I'll dominate him in a fashion that, it's almost as if he can keep trying to come back, but he will have lost the fan's interest after I do what I'm going to do to him on June 29... There will be an extra hint of satisfaction of ending this guy's career."
Catch Michael Chandler's comments below (14:53):