Michael Chandler has moved on from the two-year lengthy saga that was presupposed to lead to a struggle towards Conor McGregor and he has his doubts if the Irish famous person ever competes once more.
It nearly looks as if a lifetime in the past that Chandler signed onto coach The Final Fighter season 31 reverse McGregor and now 9 months has handed because the lightweights had been presupposed to headline UFC 303 throughout Worldwide Combat Week in 2024. Chandler finally returned to motion with a five-round battle towards Charles Oliveira this previous November and he’s now scheduled to conflict with Paddy Pimblett within the UFC 314 co-main occasion in April.
In the meantime, McGregor nonetheless hasn’t fought nor scheduled his subsequent bout, which has led to loads of hypothesis that the previous two-division champion already made his last look within the UFC.
“In my coronary heart of hearts, sure [he comes back],” Chandler stated about McGregor when chatting with MMA Preventing. “As a result of I feel he needs to struggle. He doesn’t wish to end his combating legacy the best way he has executed it. His final struggle was breaking his leg towards Dustin Poirier after which touting the best comeback in fight sports activities historical past after which doing The Final Fighter after which signing to struggle me after which pulling out with one other damage. That’s my coronary heart of hearts.
“Now my thoughts, when you’re a betting man does Conor come again? No. I’d give it a slim probability.”
When McGregor final noticed motion within the UFC, he suffered a grotesque damaged leg throughout a trilogy struggle towards Dustin Poirier again in 2021. The highway to restoration was presupposed to result in the struggle towards Chandler however currently, McGregor has been extra centered on constructing BKFC after turning into a part-owner within the bare-knuckle promotion and persevering with to advertise his beer model.
Along with his thirty seventh birthday approaching in July, McGregor can be battling father time however sitting on a monetary fortune affords him the power to by no means struggle once more if that’s what he chooses.
“I feel he’s simply so intertwined within the shiny objects throughout him that he can’t assist himself however to go attain at a shiny object,” Chandler stated. “With all due respect, chances are you’ll be the identical method, I stands out as the identical method if we had these alternatives. That’s why I’ve by no means been overly vital of the person as a result of except you’ve walked a mile in his footwear, do you’ve got the appropriate to criticize him?
“That’s how I’m with many of the guys I struggle or all people within the business. I’m not residing the identical precise life as these guys. In my coronary heart of hearts, I feel he does come again finally but when I used to be a betting man, it’s a slim probability. I ain’t betting cash on that horse.”
After all with McGregor’s comeback showing much less and fewer doubtless as weeks flip into months between updates on his subsequent struggle, Chandler nonetheless hears that he wasted his time ready for a struggle that by no means occurred.
Wanting again now, the previous Bellator light-weight champion refuses to instantly say ready was a mistake, particularly understanding the UFC’s dedication to creating that struggle occur. As soon as it was clear McGregor wasn’t coming again in a well timed style, Chandler moved on.
“There’s nonetheless no remorse for a way the entire Conor factor performed out,” Chandler stated. “I had all of the reassurances behind the scenes that yeah, the struggle would possibly get pushed again a little bit bit additional however I’d nonetheless signed a contract, did The Final Fighter — we nonetheless want to complete The Final Fighter 31. If Conor comes again, he signed his identify on the dotted line that he’ll end The Final Fighter 31.
“Will I look forward to it? No, I’m shifting on and I’m combating and I’m getting after it, I’m going to remain lively. You’ve acquired to remind individuals typically, I signed with the UFC, and inside a matter of 28 months, I fought 5 instances. Fought for the world title, fought Combat of the Evening, Combat of the Yr, one other candidate for Combat of the Yr, I used to be very lively. I used to be the kind of man who fought within the Bellator match, fought six fights in 13 months. I’ve been extraordinarily lively my complete profession.”
When he did return, Chandler suffered a heartbreaking loss to Oliveira in a possible No. 1 contender’s bout however he didn’t let that eat him for very lengthy.
As a substitute, Chander picked up the items, acquired wholesome once more, after which waited for the UFC to come back calling. That resulted in Chandler being booked within the five-round struggle towards Pimblett in April.
“Clearly I take a number of flack for it, individuals make enjoyable of me for ready for Conor and doing that stuff,” Chandler stated. “I signed a contract saying I’m going to do The Final Fighter and I’m going to struggle Conor McGregor so I wished to attend it out, determine it out and we acquired the struggle booked and clearly he pulled out. I feel that struggle occurs someplace down the road if he ever does come again however I wished to get proper again on the horse.
“As quickly as I used to be wholesome, as quickly as I used to be in a position to prepare once more, I stated sure to this struggle. Now we’re going to get again within the win column and April places me in a great place with eight extra months left within the 12 months whether or not it’s someday this summer time, whether or not it’s someday this summer time and the autumn, struggle thrice this 12 months. It’s the ‘what have you ever executed currently for me enterprise’ and it’s time to get again within the win column and do one thing spectacular April 12 in Miami.”
Make no mistake, Chandler would instantly volunteer to revisit that struggle towards McGregor if he acquired phrase that the “Infamous” was able to compete once more however don’t anticipate him to carry his breath on that one.
“I’ve wager cash on the improper horse for a short while, now I’m betting on myself, persevering with to wager on myself,” Chandler stated. “Took the chance towards Charles Oliveira, fell brief. Now I’m betting on myself once more to go on the market and struggle Paddy Pimblett in April and keep lively this 12 months.
“If [Conor] ever does come again, his highway again to the UFC goes straight by Nashville, Tenn. and Michael Chandler.”
