Michael Chandler explains why a Conor McGregor fight makes sense for the UFC and fans
Michael Chandler recently shared his views on a potential fight against Conor McGregor.
In an interview with Brett Okamoto of ESPN MMA, Chandler called for a matchup against Conor McGregor. 'Iron' argued that he and McGregor are of the same size and weight, which makes him an ideal opponent for the Irishman.
Chandler also stated that his popularity and ability to draw pay-per-views are reasons why the UFC should book him against 'The Notorious'. Expressing his interest in a potential fight against McGregor, the former Bellator lightweight champion said:
"If he does want to come back, who in the heck else do you want to be standing on the other side of the octagon than me right now at this juncture. We are the same size, we're the same weight..."
'Iron' also added that it's an obvious bout to make and that everyone is aware of this fact:
"It's crazy the amount of buzz that is on me, my fight style, my fights every single time and the UFC knows it. I think Conor knows it. Conor's team knows it. The whole world of mixed martial arts knows it...Whenver he wants to come back and tell me who's a bigger draw or a bigger fight than me and Conor right now?"
Watch Michael Chandler's full interview with ESPN MMA below:
Conor McGregor discusses UFC return
UFC poster boy Conor McGregor was last seen in the octagon in the trilogy fight against Dustin Poirier, where he lost via TKO due to a broken tibia. It has been almost a year since the injury, and the Irishman is yet to make a comeback. While many were speculating that his return would be towards the end of 2022, it doesn't seem very likely to happen.
Appearing in a recent interview on The MacLife, the former two-division champ revealed the timeframe of his potential return:
"I'm gonna be back soon, hopefully. Early 2023 I'm aiming for. You know, sometime in that first quarter. That'll give me a good couple of months. Once I wrap this [fliming for his movie] in a couple of days, get this camp going, [a] good couple of months, and get going."
Check out Conor McGregor talk about his potential comeback:
With the news that Conor McGregor is expected to return to the cage next year, there has been no shortage of callouts for the UFC superstar. However, former Bellator champ Michael Chandler has been at the forefront of vouching for a fight against 'The Notorious.'
With UFC honcho Dana White also showing interest in the fight, it would definitely be something the promotion is expected to explore.