In less than two months, Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler will face off inside the Octagon at UFC 303.
The closest McGregor and Chandler came to competing was when they coached their opponents during the most recent season of “The Ultimate Fighter.”
However, once Season 31 of the reality series ended, it started to look less and less likely that McGregor and Chandler would actually face off in a cage. When McGregor and Chandler step into the cage on June 29th, any uncertainty surrounding their next matchup will end.
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Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler face off during the filming of “The Ultimate Fighter” at UFC APEX on March 13, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
During an interview with ESPN Mixed Martial Arts In January, Chandler was asked if he expected McGregor to be the last opponent he would face before announcing he was quitting.
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“Yeah, I think I’ll be the last one,” Chandler said. “The way I’m controlling him is as if he can keep trying to come back, but after what I’m going to do to him on June 29th, he’s a fan. You’ll lose even more interest.”
Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler shake hands during the filming of ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ at UFC APEX on March 13, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
McGregor has been out of action for nearly three years. He was injured in his last match against Dustin Poirier in July 2021. McGregor lost that competition.
Chandler also fell short in his last bout against Poirier at UFC 281 in November 2022 in New York City.
(LR) Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler face off during the filming of “The Ultimate Fighter” at UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada on March 3, 2023. (Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Although it was frustrating waiting to hear the results, Chandler never wavered in his desire to face McGregor. Chandler said the UFC did not offer him an alternative, reinforcing his belief that the fight would ultimately go down to the wire.
McGregor and Chandler are scheduled to enter the cage late next month after the longest gap between fights of their respective careers. But Chandler said the sabbatical brought some positives.
“I’m spending more time with my family than ever before,” Chandler told the New York Post. “I did a lot of business work outside of fighting, and I raised money for charities and philanthropic causes. I was busy. I stayed busy.”
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Bellator lightweight champion Chandler is confident he will beat McGregor and said the Irishman, nicknamed “The Notorious,” has no interest in “returning to the Octagon.”
“I truly believe that what I do to him on June 29th will justify and deserve that he will never return to the Octagon,” Chandler said confidently. declare.
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