“They could do a surprise announcement” - Conor McGregor claims UFC yet to confirm Michael Chandler as his comeback opponent
Conor McGregor recently took to social media and shared a post outlining how the UFC could announce his return fight out of the blue without informing him beforehand. While fans expect Michael Chandler to be the one to welcome the Irishman back to action, it appears that the matchup hasn't been confirmed yet.
McGregor was forced to the sidelines after suffering a nasty leg fracture during his fight against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021. The Irishman spent several months recuperating from surgery and underwent extensive physical rehabilitation to be able to get back to training.
After over two years away from competition, Conor McGregor is expected to return to the octagon next year. While Michael Chandler is widely believed to serve as the comeback opponent, the UFC has yet to confirm the matchup.
Given McGregor's issues with USADA over the past few months, many speculated that the McGregor-Chandler bout was canceled. The Irishman's latest tweet seems to back that up. He wrote:
"I promise the UFC would never even have to announce to me who I am fighting. They could do a surprise announcement out of nowhere, a date, an opponent, completely out of the blue, absolutely anyone, at any time, and I’d be in the gym prepping tactics for it. This is legally binding."
While McGregor didn't specifically dismiss the Chandler fight, he did warn fans that the promotion could legally book him against a surprise opponent at any time. It's worth noting that 'The Notorious' is back in the USADA testing pool as of October 2023.
Coach Javier Mendez weighs in on potential Islam Makhachev vs. Conor McGregor fight
American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) head coach Javier Mendez recently shared his thoughts on a potential Islam Makhachev vs. Conor McGregor bout in the future.
Given McGregor's status as MMA's biggest superstar, it's unsurprising that the quote, "The Notorious' is always one fight away from a title shot," holds true. With McGregor now set to return, many have wondered about the possibility of the Irishman challenging for the 155-pound strap in the future.
After beating Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 294, Islam Makhachev now looking forward to his next title defense, with Charles Oliveira the likely candidate. In case that matchup doesn't materialize, many have proposed a Makhachev-McGregor fight.
In a recent interview with Red Corner MMA, Javier Mendez expressed doubts about his star pupil wanting that fight and said:
"I think it's great if Islam wants it... "f he doesn't, then maybe going for the welterweight title is more appealing to him – to create the legacy he desires because beating Conor McGregor is not the kind of legacy that Islam envisions."
Catch Mendez's comments below (11:43):