“We go back into training camp in January” - Michael Chandler speaks on potential UFC 300 showdown with Conor McGregor

Michael Chandler discussed the rumblings of him fighting Conor McGregor at UFC 300.

Appearing on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, the former Bellator lightweight champion was pointedly asked if he'd be fighting the Irish superstar at the looming tentpole event.

This came after McGregor's coach had teased the April mega event may be a possibility, to which Michael Chandler said:

"I respect Conor and I respect coach Kavanagh. Alright, we're very cordial, right. I don't have to hate Conor to want to go out there and rip his head off in front of millions of people. But these guys are very good at creating their own narrative and throwing little bread crumbs out there. That are just stale as heck not even a mouse would eat."

"So just remember when they say things, maybe it's true. Maybe it's not true. Maybe they're saying things for the reason of just making people like yourself and all of us speculate and also me speculate. Alright, I've heard (and) I've seen Conor talk about other opponents. I've seen Conor talk about different dates."

"I've seen Conor talk; completely dismissed me and act like the fight with me isn't happening. These are all ways that these guys try to get inside of people's heads. Unluckily for them, your boy's bulletproof."

Check out Chandler addressing the UFC 300 McGregor discourse below:

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Michael Chandler and experience in big fights

Conor McGregor is the biggest fight one can get in combat sports today, but Michael Chandler is familiar with being at the nucleus of that big fight feel.

'Iron' had been a multi-time Bellator MMA lightweight champion and engaged in some of the biggest fights that the company had ever seen. His entry into the UFC kicked things off into high gear, and he has been a prominently featured fighter since signing with the organization.

Chandler's emphatic first-round KO of Dan Hooker garnered him a battle for the vacant UFC lightweight title. Chandler would get finished by Charles Oliveira in a high-octane fight at UFC 262.

After headlining that May 2021 pay-per-view, Michael Chandler had huge fights on seminal events against the likes of Justin Gaethje, Tony Ferguson, and most recently, Dustin Poirier in November of last year.