UFC fan favorite Michael Chandler didn’t take long to respond to Conor McGregor’s unexpected comeback teases.
Michael Chandler and Conor McGregor‘s fighting careers will be forever linked for their time competing against each other on The Ultimate Fighter 31. But three years since the show’s airing, a McGregor vs. Chandler fight still hasn’t come to fruition, despite numerous attempts to do so.
Chandler and McGregor were supposed to clash at UFC 303 last June for the UFC’s International Fight Week card before McGregor withdrew due to a toe injury. McGregor hasn’t fought since suffering his second consecutive loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264.
Meanwhile, Chandler has fought twice since first calling out McGregor in 2022, including his most recent loss to Paddy Pimblett at UFC 314. After beginning to lose faith in luring McGregor back to the cage, Chandler got a lifeline this week thanks to the former two-division champion.
Michael Chandler responds to Conor McGregor’s latest comeback teases
McGregor raised eyebrows this week when he shared a major condition for a potential return to the Octagon. In a recent tweet, and reaction to WWE’s successful WrestleMania event in Las Vegas, McGregor claimed he’ll only come back to the UFC if he’s booked at a stadium venue.
UFC CEO Dana White is notorious for shying away from stadium venues. But this hasn’t stopped White and the UFC from exploring options outside the box, including UFC 306 at the Las Vegas Sphere in September.
In a follow-up, McGregor reignited his years-long rivalry with Chandler by calling him out for ‘unfinished business’ inside the Octagon. It didn’t take long for Chandler to respond to his rival’s latest remarks.
In a recent tweet, Chandler responded to McGregor’s callout.
“Unfinished Business Loading….” Chandler replied.
Chandler is in a unique position after suffering his third consecutive loss to Pimblett earlier this month at UFC 314. Now firmly out of the lightweight title picture, Chandler could still potentially return to the cage later this year, for either another lightweight contender bout or a big-money fight.
McGregor is in a similar position after losses in three of his last four fights, including his back-to-back defeats to Poirier. McGregor’s last victory came against Donald Cerrone at UFC 246 in 2020.
- READ MORE: Conor McGregor outlines major condition for UFC comeback as he names desired return opponent
Conor McGregor’s stalled political future might be a catalyst behind his desired UFC return
McGregor hinted at retiring from MMA last month at a Bare Knuckle FC press conference, hinting that his focus is devoted to a potential run for Irish political office. But a potential Irish presidential run has stalled in recent weeks, as McGregor has acknowledged ‘stipulations’ that have affected his campaign’s ability to get off the ground.
McGregor was briefly in talks for a boxing match with Logan Paul earlier this year before the UFC allegedly squashed negotiations. As of this writing, McGregor remains under contract with the UFC, but it’s uncertain if he remains in the Drug Free Sport testing pool.
As summer quickly approaches, a potential McGregor vs. Chandler fight remains a possibility after it seemed like a lost cause. Time will tell if the UFC matchmakers will solidify the matchup years in the making.
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