Michael Chandler’s usual style of fighting will be the "dumbest idea ever" against Conor McGregor, says John McCarthy

Former MMA referee John McCarthy recently gave his thoughts on the upcoming Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler matchup. Just a few days back, the UFC announced that McGregor and Chandler would act as rival coaches and opponents for the upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF).

In the latest edition of the Weighing In podcast, John McCarthy and former UFC lightweight Josh 'The Punk' Thomson addressed the McGregor-Chandler matchup and criticized Michael Chandler’s fight IQ. McCarthy and Thomson insinuated that Chandler shouldn’t utilize his usual high-risk fighting style against McGregor, who has impeccable timing and distance control with his striking.

They suggested that Michael Chandler generally gets into risky striking exchanges to be exciting rather than using his grappling prowess to win fights. Apparently, McCarthy doesn't see Chandler fighting smarter against McGregor, either.

John McCarthy further explained that it'd be a foolish idea on Chandler's part if he tried to make the bout with McGregor exciting by being reckless:

“Michael has that – for whatever reason – in his mind, it’s more important to be exciting than it is to win. And in this fight right here, it is the dumbest idea ever.”

Additionally, John McCarthy referenced Conor McGregor’s last two fights against Dustin Poirier in January 2021 and July 2021. He highlighted that just as Poirier defeated McGregor first and renegotiated for a huge payday in their July 2021 fight, Chandler could do the same and earn a lot more money in a rematch with the Irishman.

Furthermore, John McCarthy brought up the wrestling/grappling-heavy blueprint that Khabib Nurmagomedov laid out to beat Conor McGregor. Urging ‘Iron’ to primarily use his grappling rather than strike with a rangy striking savant like McGregor, the former MMA referee said:

“He [Chandler] is an explosive fighter, but he lunges in. He takes these big movements, and his feet move to get him inside and then to try to get him outside. He doesn’t stay inside. He wants to come in, do damage, and bounce out. That’s not a good idea in fighting Conor.”

Watch McCarthy discuss the topic at 1:06:29 in the video below:

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Conor McGregor finds himself at a crossroads heading into Michael Chandler fight

At the end of TUF’s season 31 later this year, Conor McGregor is expected to face Michael Chandler in a welterweight bout. McGregor’s last MMA matchup was a lightweight bout against Dustin Poirier in July 2021. ‘The Notorious’ suffered a gruesome leg injury in that fight and has been on hiatus ever since.

Conor McGregor is 2-3 in his past five MMA bouts. The former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion is currently on a two-fight losing streak. Moreover, many view the Chandler fight as incredibly important for McGregor. It’s believed that defeating Chandler could catapult McGregor into the UFC elite once again, whereas a loss might severely dent his image as a top-tier fighter.