The Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler fight has to be one of the most anticipated bouts of 2024. Originally scheduled for UFC 303, the fight was canceled due to McGregor’s injury. This has further delayed the fight, putting Chandler in limbo. However, Stephen Thompson believes the ‘Iron’ Chandler should just sit tight and wait for his opportunity.
Michael Chandler has waited for more than two years to get the fight against Conor McGregor. However, it seems like the former Bellator champion is finally losing patience as he recently tried his luck to get other fights. In a recent interview, Stephen Thompson suggested Chandler and McGregor stop thinking about other opponents.
It would be smart for Chandler to wait for that fight because I mean who else is he going to fight… This is a big payout for him and like a legacy fight for Chandler… And I wanna see Conor McGregor fight again too. So for both of those guys I would wait and if I was Chandler I would wait to fight Conor, not anybody else.
Stephen Thompson via talkSPORT MMA
Thompson mentioned that he’s a huge fan of both the fighters and would love to see the fight take place in the future. Regarding other choices, Chandler called out Islam Makhachev for a title shot and got rejected by the Dagestani. The American lightweight has also hinted at a potential BMF clash with fan favorite Max Holloway.
💰🇮🇪Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson thinks Michael Chandler should wait for the Conor McGregor fight:
“It would be smart for Chandler to wait for that fight because I mean who else is he going to fight. I mean is he going to fight someone lower ranked than him, is he going to fight… pic.twitter.com/6oT9d53hCc
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) August 28, 2024
On the other hand, since the cancelation, both McGregor and Chandler have maintained the same energy via their frequent online altercation. Recently, Chandler mocked ‘distant memory’ McGregor for overestimating his influence in UFC. On the contrary, McGregor is still the biggest draw and has a lot of fans waiting for his comeback.
Ex-UFC star roots for Conor McGregor against potential Michael Chandler bout
Recently, Conor McGregor urged Dana White to announce his comeback fight in December. While the UFC CEO wasn’t so sure about the proposal, he didn’t completely shut down McGregor’s wishes. This was certainly good news for Michael Chandler, who was struggling with his decision to wait.
Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler (via X)If the fight happens in December, McGregor will step inside the octagon after three long years. Many fans are doubtful about his form as well as the effect of ring rust. However, UFC legend Dan Hardy has no plans to write off McGregor from a potential win over Chandler.
I can’t underestimate McGregor’s ability. He’s done very special things at very tense and high pressured moments in his career…He has an ability to control and manage and create illusions with range…Like McGregor made Aldo reckless and then punished him for it. Chandler comes in reckless.
Dan Hardy via The MMA Hour Show
Dan Hardy is picking Conor McGregor to beat Michael Chandler at UFC 303.
“I can’t underestimate McGregor’s ability. He’s done very special things at very tense and high pressured moments in his career…He has an ability to control and manage and create illusions with range…And… pic.twitter.com/DzLJqz9Pov
— AFeldmanMMA (@afeldMMA) May 6, 2024
McGregor is the most popular UFC fighter, and millions, like Hardy, are anxious to see him return to the octagon. However, the question is whether the wait was worthwhile for fight fans. Joe Rogan recently warned that the unnecessary delay in the McGregor fight could hurt PPV sales. All of these questions will be answered once McGregor returns.
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