Chandler: If I were a gambler, I wouldn’t bet on it, but this story needs closure

Michael Chandler is no longer counting the days. After two years of anticipation, missed opportunities and unfulfilled promises, the former Bellator champion has decided to stop depending on the return of Conor McGregor, but his desire for that fight to happen has not completely disappeared, although Tom Aspinall recently gave an interesting analogy.

– I get asked about Conor in every interview. And rightly so – Chandler told MMA Junkie. – That narrative of ours simply does not die. Just a few weeks ago, there it was: ‘Iron Michael Chandler, unfinished business‘. Not only did we have a contract to fight in June, but we were also filming ‘The Ultimate Fighter‘. We have to finish that story. It is still breathing.

As a reminder, the two were rival trainers on the 31st season of the UFC reality show, and the culmination was supposed to be a fight in the Octagon last summer. But although the contracts were on the table, the fight never happened. McGregor remained out of the picture, and Chandler waited. And waited.

That entire period cost him his career. After being choked out by Dustin Poirier in November 2022, Chandler didn’t return until November 2024, where he lost by unanimous decision to Charles Oliveira, and then was stopped by Paddy Pimblett in the third round at UFC 314 in May. It was his third straight winless fight.

Chandler’s charisma

Despite the string of losses, Chandler’s charisma and ability to create fire in the cage still keep him in the conversation for the biggest fights. But his perspective has changed.

“I’m no longer the guy who can’t sleep at night because he wants to fight Conor,” he said. “If we need to fight, and if he does come back, it will happen. I don’t have to force it. If I were a gambler, I’m not sure I’d put money on him coming back. But I want that fight, I want to finish ‘The Ultimate Fighter 31.’ So we’ll see.”

Although McGregor hasn’t stepped into the Octagon since July 2021, when he broke his leg in a trilogy fight with Poirier, his return still floats around as an appealing idea. Chandler, on the other hand, already has plans for a stress-free summer.

– Now I’m going to enjoy my family, work on the big business projects I started after my last fight, and see where it all goes. If the Conor fight comes in January – that would make sense. We’ll see.

In a world where fights are often built on marketing more than rankings, it may not matter so much who lost the last three. If McGregor decides to step back into the fire – Michael Chandler is ready to welcome him.