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Michael Chandler has revealed that he won’t be surprised if Conor McGregor competes for the UFC lightweight title in his comeback fight. ‘The Notorious’ suffered a leg injury last July but is expected to return later this year.
McGregor has called out UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira for his next fight. Oliveira had also previously expressed interest in fighting McGregor. Speaking to The Schmo, Chandler addressed this and stated:
“This is the fight game, but even more than that it is the fight business. If it makes good business, it makes good sense. In a lot of ways, Conor’s still the biggest name to ever hit the sport of mixed martial arts – definitely of all time as of right now, and maybe of all time in the future. We may never see another Conor again. So, I think the sport is better when Conor McGregor is in it. The lightweight division is better when Conor McGregor is in it. Luckily, our names are in similar areas. I would like that fight down the line.”
‘Iron’ pointed out that McGregor, too, had previously spoken about the possibility of fighting him. Additionally, Chandler explained that the UFC lightweight champion might choose to fight McGregor. He highlighted that Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal are also being considered as opponents for McGregor.
Michael Chandler feels he’d be a bad matchup for McGregor, particularly since the Irishman is coming off a gruesome leg injury and a pair of consecutive losses. He suggested that it isn’t just the monetary benefit, but rather the tremendously high-stakes of a McGregor fight that truly intrigues him.
Chandler is expected to fight Tony Ferguson next at UFC 274 on May 7. Meanwhile, Oliveira is scheduled to defend his lightweight belt against Justin Gaethje in UFC 274’s headlining matchup.
Watch Michael Chandler’s conversation with The Schmo in the video below:
Joe Rogan is unsure about Conor McGregor’s motivation after his recent setbacks
Veteran UFC commentator Joe Rogan recently spoke to Michael Bisping on the JRE (Joe Rogan Experience) podcast and addressed McGregor’s current standing in the MMA realm. They concurred that McGregor becoming a multimillionaire and not fighting frequently has adversely affected his motivation and performance.
Watch the Joe Rogan Experience podcast with Michael Bisping:
Rogan also added in his podcast:
“It’s one of the things he said when Poirier stopped him [at UFC 257], he goes, ‘It was too much inactivity. I’m not ready for this yet.’ Then he comes back, fights him a second time [UFC 264], and the second time, gets f**ked up, and with a broken leg. So, it’s like, I don’t know where he’s at now mentally. He’s got so much f**king money. He’s sold Proper Twelve; made like half a billy [billion]."
