After defeating Tony Ferguson at UFC 274 this past May, Michael Chandler thought it might lapse for the UFC to put a fight with him against Conor McGregor.
Instead, a training opportunity with “The Ultimate Fighter” helped put the pieces to work for a grand battle later this year.
Chandler shouted after winning this past spring in Phoenix: “If Hunter Campbell and Dana White had a momentary error in judgment and they gave the title to someone else, then I have a guy in mind. “Conor McGregor, you have to go back and fight someone. I’m the most exciting lightweight athlete on the planet.
“I want you at your best, I want you at your worst and I want you at your best. You and I at 170 this summer, this fall, this winter Holler at your boy!”
Chandler’s request was granted, as the duo will train each other on the reality show “The Ultimate Fighter”, which will air on ESPN and ESPN+ from May 30 to August 15UFC President Dana White announced Saturday on social media. After the season, coaches will likely fight in the welterweight division, with dates and locations to be announced.
The big questions are now lingering with the ongoing battle. How do McGregor and Chandler fit together? What is at stake for the winner of the war? Marc Raimondi looks ahead and breaks them all.
Why now and this fight for Conor McGregor?
Now is easy. It’s Conor McGregor, so the UFC wants him back there ASAP. McGregor was dropped from the US Anti-Doping Agency’s drug testing team and had to go back there for six months before competing again, so his filming of “The Ultimate Fighter” during his time did not qualify. It was a genius move. The UFC will have McGregor on television to lift the TUF ratings and fuel the fight without ever having to set foot in the Octagon. It makes perfect sense.
This is the war that all three sides want. Chandler clearly wanted that and has said it over and over again. McGregor and his team support that, too. While Chandler is a talented wrestler, he has shown a desire to stand and smack, which is the kind of fight McGregor wants. Chandler is also involved, losing only to the top lightweight boxers in engaging bouts. If McGregor wins, a case could be made to throw him into another title fight, which likely wouldn’t have happened if McGregor had fought and beaten someone like Tony Ferguson.
How do Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler get along?
It should be a battle. As noted above, Chandler is a great wrestler, but look at all of his fights in the UFC. He will continue to fight and trade – and succeed – with anyone. Chandler is a contender for the Battle of the Year with Justin Gaethje And Dustin Poirier and have a knockout match of the year in 2022 against Ferguson. The guy took action every time he entered the Octagon, and most of those battles were fought with elite competition. Chandler probably has one or two more punches to stop Charles Oliveira and become the lightweight champion in 2021, let’s not forget.
McGregor probably wouldn’t want a straight slugfest. He’s counting on his precise, precise, and sharp hit to knock Chandler out early. There was a time when Chandler’s chin was questioned. However, he’s proven more in the UFC that he can take big hits against some of the toughest fighters in the division. With that said, McGregor has more power than anyone Chandler has faced before, even if the fight is in a heavier weight class.
Chandler, on the other hand, has the benefit of his wrestling potentially staying in McGregor’s head, which would open the door for Chandler to take more risks when it comes to blows. One more note: Chandler has become an outstanding scorer under coach Henri Hooft at Kill Cliff FC. McGregor, of course, will be back from a broken leg. It will be interesting to see how many foot kicks are part of Chandler’s game plan.
These are two of the best boxers in the world. What is at stake for the winner?
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UFC Announces Conor McGregor Returning to Octagon
Conor McGregor will face lightweight star Michael Chandler after the next season of “The Ultimate Fighter” ends.
If someone had said three or four years ago that Chandler would one day fight McGregor, most would scoff. Chandler loses Bellator lightweight belt to hand Patricio “Pitbull” Freire in 2019 and recover by knockout Outlaw Sidney In Japan. Although Chandler is one of Bellator’s best fighters, a match against the biggest star in the sport’s history doesn’t seem to be in the cards. But Chandler did not stop trying and beat the former UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson on the way to the free agency. He’s an incredible addition to the UFC with his class, professionalism, and understanding of how to promote himself. Chandler did everything the UFC asked of him — the promotion loves him — and just did absolute fights.
This match is a big win for Chandler, whether he wins or loses. If he wins, Chandler will immediately return to the top of the lightweight rankings as one of the biggest stars of the tournament. A headline hit may be in the works. For McGregor, victory over Chandler will be his best win since his stop Eddie Alvarez in 2016 to win the lightweight title. It will invigorate his career and show everyone that he can not only come back from a serious injury but also beat a top boxer. No matter what his next fight is, whether it’s for the title or against another big-name opponent, McGregor will be back in spectacular fashion. And that’s good for UFC business.
How does ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ impact this fight?
It could be a great deal. From an advertising perspective, it gives all parties the opportunity to build this up as a competition. Chandler has always respected McGregor and vice versa. How will the two coexist in close quarters in Las Vegas while filming the show? All eyes will be on the reality series, which will air throughout the summer, to find out.
The two men will also understand each other differently when participating in the program. There is no way around it. Right now, they are strangers and have probably never talked or interacted with each other. That’s going to change here in a few weeks, and those interactions — or the confrontations, if that’s the case — will help shape how the lead and the real fight will unfold. Also, don’t think that neither of them will be trained during filming or that the trainers of both fighters won’t be keeping an eye on what the other is doing. It will make TV attractive and an interesting fight.
