Over the years, there have been several intriguing rivalries in the UFC. One of the most notable is the rivalry between Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler. Recently, the Irishman has faced various challenges in his personal life. Despite being rivals, Chandler has taken on the role of a motivator for McGregor, encouraging him to overcome the criticisms and difficulties he is experiencing.
Recently, Michael Chandler appeared on The Ariel Helwani Show, where he discussed several intriguing topics. His conversation covered everything from his recent fight to his upcoming fight timeline. During the discussion, host Ariel Helwani also asked Chandler about the possibility of a McGregor fight. Chandler used this as an opportunity to motivate McGregor to mount a comeback.
If I were in that position, obviously, the last thing I would want to do is not to be training and not be moving forward toward a common goal. So, I’m sure he wants to get back in training… It’s a horrible position all around… The best thing he can do, most likely, is to get back moving to a common goal… Why not fight me? Why not be training to fight me…
Michael Chandler via The Ariel Helwani Show (Check from 26:48)
McGregor was recently found liable in a civil court case involving the se*ual assault of Nikita Hand. Although he maintains his innocence, the verdict has significantly impacted his personal relationships with various brands. Chandler, who is aware of the situation, hopes that McGregor can quickly overcome these challenges. Similar to him, several other prominent individuals also reacted to this.
“It’s a horrible position all around… The best thing he can do, most likely, is to get back moving to a common goal.
Why not fight me? Why not be training to fight me.”
Michael Chandler on rebooking a fight with Conor McGregor. pic.twitter.com/w98IWT5hf8
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) November 27, 2024
Interestingly, while many people mocked McGregor’s legal troubles, some did not. Similar to Chandler, a few other fighters actually want the Irishman to get his life back in order and return to the octagon. In light of this, the American fighter has urged McGregor to prepare for a potential clash between them. This matchup could be the most ideal option for the promotion to pursue next.
Michael Chandler believes his fight against Conor McGregor is the most sensible matchup for him next
Michael Chandler is considered one of the most entertaining fighters in the UFC. Despite his strong performances, he has often struggled to secure victories. Throughout his interesting UFC career, Chandler has lost 4 out of his 6 fights in the promotion. His most recent defeat was against Charles Oliveira at UFC 309.
Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler face-off (Image via X)Although Chandler appeared confident in his ability to defeat Oliveira, he faced a significant setback and lost by unanimous decision. Following this defeat, discussions about the American fighter’s next potential match resurfaced, with Chandler himself addressing the topic recently. In an interview with Ariel Helwani, Chandler expressed his desire to fight McGregor next.
There’s a lot of different huge matchups, there’s a lot of different huge fights. Obviously, the fight that makes the most sense is Chandler vs. McGregor to finish The Ultimate Fighter 31 and we will kind of see what the timeline is there and we’ll see what the UFC is thinking…
Michael Chandler via The Ariel Helwani Show (Check from 28:45)
Both Chandler and McGregor were initially scheduled to face each other at UFC 303. However, the fight never materialized after McGregor withdrew due to a toe injury. Despite this setback, there were still discussions about a potential matchup.
Eventually, Chandler grew bored with waiting and decided to snub McGregor, opting instead to fight Oliveira at UFC 309. After his defeat in that fight, ‘Iron’ reflected on his rivalry with McGregor and expressed his desire to fight him next.
