Michael Chandler is happy to see Conor McGregor return at UFC 329, even if he’s not the one standing on the other side of the octagon.
Chandler and McGregor were scheduled to fight each other at UFC 303 in July 2024 before “The Notorious” pulled out with a toe injury. It was an excessive period waiting for the fight to materialize on that date after the pair filmed “The Ultimate Fighter” reality series, then Chandler spent even more time waiting for a potential rebooking.
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When it was clear it wasn’t going to happen, Chandler (23-10 MMA, 2-5 UFC) returned to competition. It hasn’t gone his way with losses against Charles Oliveira and Paddy Pimblett, but he returns at UFC Freedom 250 on June 14 against Mauricio Ruffy (13-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC) in a lightweight bout at the White House in Washington (Paramount+).
Not long after he was booked for that fight, McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) was announced for his first fight in five years when he rematches Max Holloway (27-9 MMA, 23-9 UFC) in the main event of the July 11 card at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Given the timing of their respective bouts, to would be hard to blame Chandler if he felt upset or envious that he won’t be the one to welcome the Irishman back to the sport. However, his feelings are quite the opposite.
Chandler claims he is emotionless to the topic at this point, and that’s partially because his gut knows a date with McGregor is somewhere in his future, even if he can’t pinpoint the exact time, or even the promotion or form of combat sport.
“It’s funny, man: Me vs. Conor, whether it was ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ in the lead-up, then the actual training camp, then the pullout of the fight and the possible rebooking – this whole thing has been an up-and-down soap opera for the better part of a couple years,” Chandler told MMA Junkie on Thursday. “As big as it was, as entrenched as I was into it, I just feel like I’m a million miles away now. I don’t really have any emotions about it, and maybe it’s because obviously I’m focused on Mauricio Ruffy at the White House. But man, I wish Conor well. The sport is a better place when Conor McGregor is training and on his way back. Max got the nod. We’ll get to see them compete here, it’s only five weeks away. I’ll be there cageside watching, very interested in how that fight goes.
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“Whether me and Conor fight in the UFC or not, Conor and I will compete against each other at some point, in some venue, somewhere, somehow, some way. The story is there, the animosity is there, but also the mutual respect is already there. It’s got all the makings of a blockbuster. So if it happens down the line, it happens down the line. But I wish him well and it’s good to hear obviously. I know they wanted that fight. I wanted the fight. Obviously the UFC had different plans, and the UFC has every right to make whatever fight they want to make. So, here we are.”
For Chandler, his main priority is getting back on track at UFC Freedom 250. He enters the event on a three-fight losing skid, and the last time that happened in 2014, he bounced back to win seven of his next eight.
Whether he ever gets McGregor or not, Chandler knows that a loss to Ruffy isn’t likely to help his chances down the line.
“I’m going to knock out Mauricio Ruffy on the White House lawn,” Chandler said. “And then we’ll see what happens after that.”
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Michael Chandler: Conor McGregor fight will happen ‘in the UFC or not’
