Conor McGregor agreed to fight Michael Chandler for this one reason: Islam Makhachev 

Islam Makhachev recently revealed why he thinks Conor McGregor signed a contract to fight Michael Chandler. The 31-year-old Dagestani claimed that the former two-division champion chose his next opponent based on the American's recent losing streak and similar fighting style.

After suffering a nasty leg fracture against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264, McGregor has been sidelined for well over a year and has undergone physical therapy to recover from his injuries. The Irishman is now set to make his highly anticipated return to the UFC this year and will coach the next season of The Ultimate Fighter opposite Chandler. The pair will also clash in the octagon following the season finale.

Reigning UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev recently praised Conor McGregor for choosing his battles carefully. In an interview with Daniel Cormier, the grappling maestro detailed why 'The Notorious' picked Chandler as his next opponent:

"McGregor is smart too. He looked at his [Michael Chandler] fight and saw, 'This guy's going to try that, he's short and I can beat him,' and chose the small guy... 100%. I know that. He can choose [Justin] Gaethje, [Charles] Oliveira, [Beneil] Dariush or someone."

Watch the full interview below:

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Islam Makhachev claims he won't be surprised if Conor McGregor retires after fighting Michael Chandler

Islam Makhachev is of the opinion that Michael Chandler will be the former champ-champ's last dance partner in the UFC octagon if things don't go the Irishman's way in his comeback fight. Makhachev also stated that he won't be amazed if McGregor chooses to retire after the bout.

Conor McGregor has been away from the UFC octagon since July 2021. The Irish superstar lost his last two bouts to Dustin Poirier, and his most recent victory was in 2020 against Donald Cerrone. He is 2-3 in his last five outings, the same record as his next opponent Chandler.

In a recent pre-fight presser, Islam Makhachev shared his thoughts on Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler:

"It's a good fight for the MMA fans, but if Chandler wins, [Conor McGregor] is going to retire for sure. Make some good money and that's it... Last four fights, they have the same streak. They lose three times. That's why this fight is happening. For Conor, he chose a good way too... Conor everyday retires and everyday comes back to the Twitter."

Watch the full video below:

Meanwhile, Islam Makhachev is gearing up for his first title defense against featherweight king Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 284. The lightweight champion will be gunning for the UFC pound-for-pound No.1 spot as well.