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By promising to go to welterweight and serve as a coach on The Ultimate Fighter, Michael Chandler has persisted in his quest to challenge Conor McGregor.
Since joining the UFC, the veteran Bellator lightweight champion has been itching to square off against McGregor, and even three defeats in five exhibition matches haven't dimmed public enthusiasm for this type of matchup. Because of his aggressive fighting style, Chandler thinks a battle between him and the former UFC double champion would be epic.
To bring McGregor back into the octagon, Chandler is prepared to compete against him at 170 pounds. Even though McGregor has grown considerably after fracturing his leg in an injury-TKO defeat to Dustin Poirier in July 2021, Chandler asserted that he is currently bulkier than the Irishman is currently.
“I’m walking around almost 190 right now,” Chandler said on the “Believe You Me” podcast with Michael Bisping. “And I stay lean because I’m always training...
“I’m not getting fluffy or fat, and I’m always around that 185-190 clip. So 170, for me, would be a dream come true. I don’t like making 155. The only reason I can make 155 is just good, old-fashioned 12 weeks of diet, exercise, discipline, and a little bit of dehydration at the end, so why not do 170? I still think I’m bigger than Conor at this point, even with his regimen that he’s been on.”
Although no official agreement has been reached, McGregor has admitted that he will be The Ultimate Fighter's coach for Season 31. Michael Chandler is the most recent boxer to put his name in the running to stand collaboratively with the Irishman as a coach. Tony Ferguson has also made it known that he would be open to taking part in the same series.
“The tension, the rivalry, the competition, the trash talk,” Chandler said. “Just the animosity that would be built up and then going into a training camp and then fight later on after the show. I want the fight. Everyone knows that. The fans want the fight, Dana has gone public saying he wants that fight, so the UFC wants the fight. … Man, huge fight. Can you imagine the first round?”
Since discovering the news, enthusiasts have urged the UFC to approve Michael Chandler for the position of McGregor's opponent coach.