Former Bellator lightweight champion Michael Chandler coached opposite McGregor on Season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter and was booked to face McGregor at UFC 303 last June at UFC International Fight Week. But their planned bout fell through after McGregor broke a toe in the lead-up to the contest.
Chandler is still keen on facing McGregor in 2025, but admits that the chances of it happening appear significantly smaller than they did last summer.
“I would put Conor McGregor coming back to the UFC at 50-50 right now,” he told Lucky Block.
“That is my expectation and you’re talking to a guy who had assurances behind the scenes to know that he was going to come back.
“Then he came back and signed a contract. I saw the contract, I signed the contract that had my name on it. June 29th T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas.
“We got 13 days before the fight obviously and he had to pull out with an injury.”
Since their June booking fell through, McGregor has seemingly turned his attention elsewhere and tweeted to state that he was “in preliminary agreements” over an exhibition boxing match with Logan Paul in India.
The rumors of a bout with topurio are false. I am in preliminary agreements with the Ambani family to face Logan Paul in a boxing exhibition in India.
I have agreed.
I will then seek my return to the Octagon.— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) December 17, 2024
But, with McGregor stating that he would pursue his return to the Octagon after that fight, Chandler said he still wants to be the man to welcome him back to the UFC.
“Obviously, Chandler vs. McGregor needs to happen at some point,” he stated.
“We have to finish The Ultimate Fighter 31 and, as Conor said on his tweet the other day, he’s a man of his word and wants to fight me. I think that’s a fight the fans want.
“If he does come back, who’s he gonna fight that there is already some history with? We’ve got The Ultimate Fighter.”
And Chandler stated that his own reputation as an exciting fighter will only help to encourage McGregor back to the cage, with the Irishman knowing that he’d be facing a willing dancer partner whose fighting style will guarantee a fun fight for the fans.
“Obviously, I have now thrown my name into the upper threshold of the guys that people want to see fight. Fans know that, on any given Saturday night, in any given arena, I will put butts in seats, I will blow the roof off of the arena, and I will get the fight of the night.
“So, it’s a fun fight, it’s an exciting fight, but I’d still give it a 50-50 right now. But if he does come back, he’s going to be fighting me.”
