Michael Chandler Vows to ‘Bludgeon’ Conor McGregor in Any Weight Class

Michael Chandler has been getting to know Conor McGregor during the filming of Season 31 of “The Ultimate Fighter,” where they will serve as coaches. Chandler believes that he has started to figure McGregor out, but the question remains as to when and where they will fight.

One of the issues delaying the fight is the requirement that a fighter be in the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) drug testing pool for at least six months before a fight. McGregor has been inactive since suffering a broken leg in a trilogy loss to Dustin Poirier in July 2021 and is not currently in the testing pool. Chandler’s management is putting pressure on the situation to figure out when McGregor will be in the pool, as this could affect the timeline for the fight.

I just asked my management to start putting pressure and figure out (when McGregor will be in the pool). Right now, we’re at March (4). If we want to fight in September, he’s got to hop in the (drug testing) pool. That’s just the simple fact of the matter.

We’ll see. I could (not) care less, man. I don’t care what he weighs, what he’s doing. How long he’s in the USADA pool does not matter to me. It’s another man with two arms and two legs and I’ve been doing this for over a decade, so, I’m excited to go out there and compete against him. But ultimately, rules are rules and we’ve got to figure out how to get around the red tape and all and get him in the pool and get him tested and all that kind of stuff.

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Another issue is the weight class for the fight. McGregor has won titles in the featherweight and lightweight divisions and has also fought at welterweight, while Chandler is a career lightweight. However, Chandler has stated that he is open to fighting at a higher weight and that McGregor has expressed interest in fighting at 170 pounds.

At this point, I don’t think it’s going to be at 155,” Chandler said. “Conor’s expressed it’s going to be at 170. I would love it at 170. I’ll fight him at 185. I’ll fight him at whatever weight class we want to fight at. I could (not) care less. I just want to fight the man. … He was talking about 185 and I called his bluff. I think he doesn’t think I’m as heavy and as dense as I actually am. I’m sitting here at 191 pounds, so I’ll fight at 185. I’ll fight a 170. If (UFC president) Dana (White) steps in – and I’ve heard him talk about 155 – if Dana steps in and gets his way, possibly it’s 155. I could (not) care less. I am a guy who showed up in the UFC in September 2020 with my work boots on, and I’ve said yes to every single opportunity. I’ve said yes at every single step of the way.

They want to do it at 170. I think that’s a nice little sweet spot. This show (airing) ends in August, so it would make a lot of sense for us to fight in September. I hope it’s September. And I think this fight is too big to do T-Mobile Arena. I think we sell out Allegiant Stadium (in Las Vegas) or Dallas Cowboys Stadium.

There’s been mentions of it. I think when you talk, you’re never doing a stadium if it isn’t Conor McGregor right now. And then you look at a guy who can come in and build the intrigue, put butts in seats, make people feel something. Name a guy who’s got more momentum in the entire UFC than than me. And now we’re doing ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ – 12 episodes over the entire summer to build the intrigue, to build the animosity, to build this rivalry – and it’s genuine. You guys know me. I’m a pretty nice, even-keeled guy. I don’t really like Conor McGregor that much, it turns out.

I’ve got a ton of respect for him. But he and I, I don’t think see eye to eye in a lot of ways, and that’s a lot of competitive chirp. But ultimately, I passed Allegiant Stadium today and I told my wife, ‘Hey, we should fight there.’ There’s no reason we should be fighting in T-Mobile Arena because we have the ability and the capacity to do that. Dallas Cowboy Stadium: One of the biggest shows in in mixed martial arts history. I think it happens.

The location of the fight is also up in the air. While Chandler believes that it would be too big of an event to be held at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, the venue for UFC 285, he has suggested Allegiant Stadium or Dallas Cowboys Stadium as potential venues. Chandler believes that his momentum in the UFC, combined with McGregor’s star power, would make this fight one of the biggest events in mixed martial arts history.

Despite McGregor’s recent prediction that he will “slice through” Chandler, the former Bellator champ remains unfazed. He believes that McGregor’s prediction adds to the intrigue and mystique of the fight, but he is confident that he can come out on top. Chandler has been training for over a decade and is excited to compete against McGregor, but ultimately, he believes that rules are rules, and they need to find a way to get McGregor in the drug testing pool before a fight can take place.

That’s exactly who we want – the biggest combat sports star and icon that we have ever seen thinking he’s going to come back and slice through somebody. That’s exactly what we want. That gains intrigue. It builds the momentum, it builds the mystique of who he is and us putting butts in seats. That’s exactly what we want. I can tell you this: It’s definitely not going to happen. I can tell you this: I see it going a much different way.

“I think I’ve seen enough of Conor over the last couple weeks to know that I am going to not just slice through him, but bludgeon him with both of these hands and do whatever I want, both standing or on the ground, and finish him by the second round. That’s my ‘Mystic (Mac)’, my prediction, and I stand behind it.

As for the fight itself, Chandler thinks that McGregor’s prediction is misguided, and he is ready to take on the biggest combat sports star and icon that we have ever seen. With “The Ultimate Fighter” set to air over the summer, Chandler is looking forward to building the intrigue and animosity between the two fighters. It remains to be seen when and where the fight will take place, but one thing is for sure: it will be one of the most highly anticipated events in mixed martial arts history.

What do you think about the potential fight between Michael Chandler and Conor McGregor? Do you think the delay caused by McGregor not being in the USADA drug testing pool will affect the timeline of the fight? What weight class do you think they will ultimately fight at? And where do you think the fight will take place, T-Mobile Arena, Allegiant Stadium or Dallas Cowboys Stadium? Leave your thoughts and predictions in the comment section below.