Although the UFC 229 PPV record has reached legend status, Michael Chandler is determined to disrupt it. The American is taking on Conor McGregor at International Fight Week on June 29. This UFC 303 event marks the return of ‘The Mystic Mac’ in the hollowed octagon where he forged his legacy. After almost three years away from the sport that made him, the Irishman will face one of UFC’s most violent sons, and Chandler believes this storyline will do very well in PPV sales.
UFC 229 holds the record for the highest PPV sales with almost 2.4 million PPV buys. While this record was solely driven by the Khabib Nurmagomedov vs Conor McGregor fight, it has never been bested before.
In an interview with Ariel Helwani for The MMA Hour, Michael Chandler spoke about his plans to rewrite record books. The American claimed he believed this fight would break the previous PPV record, saying,
“We want to break that Khabib Number right the 2.4 (million)….This one, Conor’s comeback, one of the most violent guys in the sport….I’ll fight in Ireland tomorrow”
Chandler is so dedicated to making this match-up sell that he is willing to fight in McGregor’s home country of Ireland. However, Nurmagomedov had immense star power behind him which ‘Iron’ lacks. Hence, it will be difficult for any to beat UFC 229’s record.
Another thing ‘Iron’ is confident about is the outcome of this fight. Apart from suggesting that the Irishman might be retiring, Chandler has been very vocal about his plans to finish Conor McGregor in the second round.
Michael Chandler backs his prediction of beating Conor McGregor in the second round
Michael Chandler has won only one fight out of his last four against the top lightweights in the division. Yet, the American is determined to turn the tide against Conor McGregor at UFC 303.
In the same interview with Ariel Helwani, ‘Iron’ spoke about his chances against ‘The Notorious.’ He claimed he would only need two rounds to beat McGregor:
“I also like the idea of making good on the promise of knocking him out in the second round with my hands….By the end of the first round, he’s gonna know, ‘I probably should’ve found a different opponent.’”
Michael Chandler revealed that he would put the pressure on the Irishman from the get-go, forcing McGregor into a defensive stance. Subsequently, ‘Iron’ plans to finish the fight in the second round, regardless of whether the Irishman stays on his feet or falls to the ground.
