Michael Chandler gives honest reaction to Conor McGregor's civil case verdict: "Why not fight me?"

Michael Chandler recently shared his perspective on Conor McGregor's fighting future in light of the outcome of his legal case. 'The Notorious' was deemed liable by a jury in the Dublin high court last week for sexually assaulting a woman in December 2018 and was ordered to pay €248,000 as compensation to the plaintiff.

McGregor strongly refutes the accusations, claiming that he never compelled the woman to do anything unwillingly, and he has indicated his plans to challenge the decision. While the former two-division champion was not criminally charged, the MMA community has been rife with speculation regarding his future in the sport following the verdict.

During a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, Chandler, who has long been vocal about his desire to face McGregor, was asked about the likelihood of the Irishman making a return to the octagon anytime soon. 'Iron' responded that while he's not fully informed about the legal consequences, he remains hopeful that McGregor will return to training and make his comeback at the earliest opportunity next year:

"If I were in that position, obviously, the last thing I would want to do is not be training and not be moving forward toward a common goal. So I'm sure he wants to get back in training."

He added:

"Why not fight me? Why not be training to fight me in the middle of next year, International Fight Week, before that, as soon as possible? I'm ready to get back into training camp right after Jan. 1, and we can make that fight happen ASAP."

Check out Michael Chandler's comments below (26:48):

'The Notorious' has been absent from the octagon since suffering a broken leg during his trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021.

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Why was Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler canceled after being planned?

Conor McGregor was initially slated to make his comeback against Michael Chandler at UFC 303, following their roles as rival coaches on 'The Ultimate Fighter' season 33. However, the highly anticipated bout fell through after 'The Notorious' withdrew, citing a toe injury sustained during training just weeks before the event.

Meanwhile, 'Iron' made his return to the octagon earlier this month at UFC 309, ending a two-year hiatus with a rematch against Charles Oliveira. The fight saw Chandler struggle as Oliveira dominated the majority of the bout. Despite mounting a spirited comeback in the last round, the American failed to shift the momentum in his favor and ultimately lost by unanimous decision.