Ain’t Put Money on It: Michael Chandler Keeps It Real on Conor McGregor’s UFC Return

It appears that years of waiting later, Michael Chandler is growing increasingly more open to the possibility that he will ultimately never fight UFC star Conor McGregor. The former Bellator lightweight champion tonight claimed he is not willing to put his house on a long overdue return to the Octagon for the veteran Dublin striker.

Chandler was pulled from an anticipated main event fight with ex-two-weight champion, McGregor last summer, with the latter suffering a fractured toe just weeks out from UFC 303.

And remaining sidelined till he snapped a two-year hiatus back in November, Chandler looked to finally end his long stint of inactivity, taking on former champion, Charles Oliveira. The result? He was beaten for a second time by the Brazilian in Madison Square Garden.

Failing to land himself a rebooked pairing with McGregor at the turn of this year, Chandler claimed tonight that he’s growing more and more doubtful of ever facing off with Ultimate Fighter coaching rival, McGregor in the future.

“My heart of heart says Conor’s (McGregor) got to come back to his first love,” Michael Chandler said during an interview with Ariel Helwani.

Almost trying to rationalize Conor’s actions over the last few years, Chandler asked if the Irishman really wanted to leave the UFC after having to be carried out of a Dustin Poirier fight with a broken foot. He wondered if Conor was okay trying to fool everyone by signing on to fight him but flaked out without ever rising to it.

“I don’t think he wants his legacy to be that. Then again, I haven’t walked a mile in that man’s shoes, so I’m not going to say what he is thinking. My heart of hearts says he’s coming back at some point, but if I was a betting man, I ain’t put money on it.”, the American fighter concluded.

While he obviously seems dejected after being taken for a spin by McGregor for two years, Chandler also realizes that his journey in the UFC was only incumbent upon him showing up to fight.

Chandler continues comeback tour at UFC 314

Chandler is set to take on former Cage Warriors champion-turned lightweight contender, Paddy Pimblett over the course of five rounds in Miami.

Tasked with snapping the Liverpool grappler’s impressive run of eight straight victories since his landing in the Octagon almost years ago, Chandler has claimed he will prove to be just too “ferocious” for the newly ranked lightweight.

Chandler believes he has picked up on Paddy’s lack of endurance and hopes to kick at it till something gives. And as such, he’s pushing for a 5-round battle, something Paddy hasn’t done since his Cage Warrior days.

“I think Paddy has faded. He was fading in the Tony Ferguson fight, and in the Jared Gordon fight…So why not do it 25 minutes? If you saw you’re going to be a future champion if you’re looked at [like that], you have to fight for 25 minutes.”, he said issuing the Scouser a proper challenge.

Meanwhile, forever tied with a showdown with Chandler, McGregor appears more and more tied up with Irish Presidential campaigning as well as a potential BKFC landing rather than competing in his two final contracted UFC bouts.