"Gonna look like a big idiot if this doesn’t happen “ - Michael Chandler discusses internal doubts about fighting Conor McGregor during delays

Michael Chandler and Conor McGregor are now officially set to face off on June 29 in the main event of UFC 303.

The pair have been expected to fight since the announcement that they served as respective coaches for season 31 of 'The Ultimate Fighter,' which aired from May 30 - August 15, 2023.

Usually, 'TUF' coaches will battle in the octagon following the season finale. But the reality series came and went without so much as a fight announcement from UFC CEO Dana White.

Delays regarding McGregor's re-entry into the USADA testing pool, as well as promotional duties for his new movie, Road House, all delayed the bout. This led to speculation that the pair may not end up fighting.

'Iron' remained confident that his bout with the Irishman would materialize despite the general consensus. However, during a recent interview with Ariel Helwani, he admitted that there were doubts in his mind too.

"Take you back to Conor calling out basically every single person on every single card for a couple of months straight. Justin [Gaethje] winning the BMF belt, all these different guys... Obviously, yeah man, I'm a human."

He continued:

"Every now and then, [I] was like, 'Dang dude, you're gonna look like a big idiot if this doesn't happen.' And that's the ego talking, and ego is the enemy. Luckily, here we are."

Watch Michael Chandler discuss waiting on Conor McGregor below from 7:30:

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Conor McGregor's movie is the reason for Michael Chandler fight being delayed, says Dana White

Conor McGregor has not fought in the octagon since breaking his leg at UFC 264 in July 2021, when he faced off against Dustin Poirier.

After completing season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter last year en route to his much-anticipated comeback, fans expected a clash between the Irishman and Michael Chandler to be announced.

However, the announcement was continually pushed back until UFC 300 on April 13th, when White announced that McGregor would take on 'Iron' on June 29 at UFC 303.

The announcement came during the post-UFC 300 press conference, where White pointed to the 'Road House' movie as the main reason for the delay. He said this:

"Chandler's been ready, but Conor hasn't been ready... he had a lot of obligations that he had to deal with. What you don't want him doing is accepting a fight when he's got a ton of obligations and he can't train 100% for a fight.."

Watch White discuss Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler below: