Michael Chandler has moved on from the two-year lengthy saga that was presupposed to end in a battle in opposition to Conor McGregor and he has his doubts if the Irish famous person ever competes once more.
It nearly looks as if a lifetime in the past that Chandler signed onto coach The Final Fighter season 31 reverse McGregor and now 9 months has handed because the lightweights had been presupposed to headline UFC 303 throughout Worldwide Struggle Week in 2024. Chandler finally returned to motion with a five-round battle in opposition to Charles Oliveira this previous November and he’s now scheduled to conflict with Paddy Pimblett within the UFC 314 co-main occasion in April.
In the meantime, McGregor nonetheless hasn’t fought nor scheduled his subsequent bout, which has led to loads of hypothesis that the previous two-division champion already made his closing look within the UFC.
“In my coronary heart of hearts, sure [he comes back],” Chandler stated about McGregor when talking to MMA Preventing. “As a result of I feel he needs to battle. He doesn’t need to end his preventing legacy the way in which he has completed it. His final battle was breaking his leg in opposition to Dustin Poirier after which touting the best comeback in fight sports activities historical past after which doing The Final Fighter after which signing to battle me after which pulling out with one other damage. That’s my coronary heart of hearts.
“Now my thoughts, in case you’re a betting man does Conor come again? No. I’d give it a slim likelihood.”
When McGregor final noticed motion within the UFC, he suffered a ugly damaged leg throughout a trilogy battle in opposition to Dustin Poirier again in 2021. The street to restoration was presupposed to result in the battle in opposition to Chandler however currently, McGregor has been extra centered on constructing BKFC after turning into a part-owner within the bare-knuckle promotion and persevering with to advertise his beer model.
Along with his thirty seventh birthday approaching in July, McGregor can also be battling father time however sitting on a monetary fortune affords him the flexibility to by no means battle once more if that’s what he chooses.
“I feel he’s simply so intertwined within the shiny objects throughout him that he can’t assist himself however to go attain at a shiny object,” Chandler stated. “With all due respect, you could be the identical manner, I often is the similar manner if we had these alternatives. That’s why I’ve by no means been overly crucial of the person as a result of until you’ve walked a mile in his footwear, do you’ve got the fitting to criticize him?
“That’s how I’m with many of the guys I battle or everyone within the business. I’m not residing the identical precise life as these guys. In my coronary heart of hearts, I feel he does come again finally but when I used to be a betting man, it’s a slim likelihood. I ain’t betting cash on that horse.”
In fact with McGregor’s comeback showing much less and fewer seemingly as weeks flip into months between updates on his subsequent battle, Chandler nonetheless hears that he wasted his time ready for a battle that by no means occurred.
Wanting again now, the previous Bellator light-weight champion refuses to all of the sudden say ready was a mistake, particularly understanding the UFC’s dedication to creating that battle occur. As soon as it was clear McGregor wasn’t coming again in a well timed trend, Chandler moved on.
“There’s nonetheless no remorse for the way the entire Conor factor performed out,” Chandler stated. “I had all of the reassurances behind the scenes that yeah, the battle would possibly get pushed again a bit bit additional however I’d nonetheless signed a contract, did The Final Fighter — we nonetheless want to complete The Final Fighter 31. If Conor comes again, he signed his identify on the dotted line that he’ll end The Final Fighter 31.
“Will I await it? No, I’m shifting on and I’m preventing and I’m getting after it, I’m going to remain energetic. You’ve acquired to remind individuals generally, I signed with the UFC, and inside a matter of 28 months, I fought 5 instances. Fought for the world title, fought Struggle of the Night time, Struggle of the 12 months, one other candidate for Struggle of the 12 months, I used to be very energetic. I used to be the kind of man who fought within the Bellator event, fought six fights in 13 months. I’ve been extraordinarily energetic my complete profession.”
When he did return, Chandler suffered a heartbreaking loss to Oliveira in a potential No. 1 contender’s bout however he didn’t let that eat him for very lengthy.
As a substitute, Chander picked up the items, acquired wholesome once more, after which waited for the UFC to return calling. That resulted in Chandler being booked within the five-round battle in opposition to Pimblett in April.
“Clearly I take a whole lot of flack for it, individuals make enjoyable of me for ready for Conor and doing that stuff,” Chandler stated. “I signed a contract saying I’m going to do The Final Fighter and I’m going to battle Conor McGregor so I needed to attend it out, determine it out and we acquired the battle booked and clearly he pulled out. I feel that battle occurs someplace down the road if he ever does come again however I needed to get proper again on the horse.
“As quickly as I used to be wholesome, as quickly as I used to be in a position to practice once more, I stated sure to this battle. Now we’re going to get again within the win column and April places me in a great spot with eight extra months left within the yr whether or not it’s someday this summer time, whether or not it’s someday this summer time and the autumn, battle thrice this yr. It’s the ‘what have you ever completed currently for me enterprise’ and it’s time to get again within the win column and do one thing spectacular April 12 in Miami.”
Make no mistake, Chandler would instantly volunteer to revisit that battle in opposition to McGregor if he acquired phrase that the “Infamous” was able to compete once more however don’t anticipate him to carry his breath on that one.
“I’ve guess cash on the mistaken horse for a short time, now I’m betting on myself, persevering with to guess on myself,” Chandler stated. “Took the chance in opposition to Charles Oliveira, fell quick. Now I’m betting on myself once more to go on the market and battle Paddy Pimblett in April and keep energetic this yr.
“If [Conor] ever does come again, his street again to the UFC goes straight by means of Nashville, Tenn. and Michael Chandler.”
