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Islam Makhachev recently suggested a novel strategy to Michael Chandler for overcoming the obstacle to materializing a potential fight with Conor McGregor.
Following his coaching stint against McGregor on 'The Ultimate Fighter 31' (TUF) in early 2023, 'Iron' has been the subject of rumors for a potential return against the Irishman.
Amid ongoing speculation, 'The Notorious' declared his intention to face Chandler during the UFC's annual International Fight Week on June 29. Despite McGregor's insistence on the summer date, UFC CEO Dana White has firmly refused to confirm any details about the bout.
During a recent interview with MMA Junkie, the reigning lightweight champion offered his distinctive strategy to 'Iron' in order to guarantee the setup of a fight with McGregor:
"You know, honestly, I hope the fight happens, but in this situation, Chandler looks very bad. For how many years has he been waiting for this fight? Every night, he goes to bed and has a dream, 'I will fight Conor McGregor.' Man, you're not young, you have a chance to fight someone, make money, and then after, you can fight with Conor. He had already lost his last fight... Lose one more time and make money."
He added:
"Maybe if you lose again, Conor will see his fight, and he will think, 'Oh okay, I can beat this guy.' It's a good fight for the fans but for the division it means nothing."
Check out Islam Makhachev's comments below (11:04):
Chandler's most recent bout took place at UFC 281 in November 2022, resulting in a submission loss against Dustin Poirier. Interestingly, Poirier was also McGregor's last adversary, although the former two-division champ has been out of action since their trilogy bout at UFC 264 in July 2021 due to a leg injury.
Did Michael Chandler use his WWE appearance to call out Conor McGregor?
Last month, Michael Chandler caused a stir in the combat sports community with a spontaneous appearance on WWE Monday Night RAW in Anaheim, California. Seizing the microphone, 'Iron' delivered a passionate promo, demanding a fight with Conor McGregor to finally make it happen.
Check out Michael Chandler's comments below:
Chandler's impactful appearance quickly became a sensation in both the MMA and professional wrestling communities. Following his television spot, he received positive feedback from WWE's chief content officer and head of creative, Paul Michael Levesque, aka Triple H.
However, during an interview with Ariel Helwani last month, 'Iron' clarified that his promo wasn't related to any plans for a crossover appearance. But, he did express interest in fostering future collaboration between UFC and WWE, now that both combat sports giants fall under the same TKO Group Holdings umbrella.
