‘I Am Not Betting’: Having Wasted 2 Years Waiting for Conor McGregor Fight, Michael Chandler Finally Loses Faith in Irishman’s MMA Return

Michael Chandler is finally moving on from the prospect of fighting Conor McGregor. Well, it only took him two years, but better late than never! The UFC lightweight fighter is currently on a warring path against Paddy Pimblett, with the two set to face off at UFC 314 on April 12 at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida.

‘Iron’, despite being on a two-fight losing streak, is still one of the most dangerous fighters in the division. His only problem has been consistency. Despite getting multiple shots at the best in the division, from Charles Oliveira to Dustin Poirier, he hasn’t been able to secure wins in his favor.

And it didn’t help that he spent 2 years waiting for the Conor McGregor fight. The pair were set to fight each other after coaching opponent teams in The Ultimate Fighter 31. However, just hours before UFC 303, McGregor pulled a fast one, claiming he had hurt his toe and withdrew from the fight, leaving Chandler cursing fate.

Despite this, Chandler had held on to the hope that the Irishman would come back some day. That hope, it seems, has been extinguished.

“If you said, ‘Right now, hey, put some money on it,’ I’m not betting that Conor comes back and I think you can tell by my actions, fighting Charles Oliveira in November after my fight with Conor got canceled and now fighting Paddy Pimblett”, he told SiriusXM.

 

At 38, there isn’t a lot of time left for him to fight top talents in the Octagon. In fact, the Pimblett fight is seen as UFC’s way of trying to test the waters at the 155 lbs division.

Should Chandler manage to grab a win, he could try and mount a title campaign, which could very well be his last at 38 years of age. Should h lose, the UFC’s gamble with Pimblett would have paid off, and the promotion will have gained a legitimate star and one that appeals to a foreign audience as well.

So, Chandler has his eyes firmly set on the Scouser.

Chandler and Paddy’s ‘friendly trash talk’

Just two weeks shy of UFC 314,  the pair sat down for a virtual face-to-face with ESPN MMA for a surprisingly respectful conversation. However, this doesn’t mean that Chandler isn’t promising to throw the kitchen sink at the Liverpudlian.

Paddy ‘The Baddy’ was the first to talk as he chimed in with, “As you all know, Scousers don’t get knocked out, theres’ no way that’s happening.”

“Scousers don’t get knocked out apparently, but they’ve never been hit by the likes of me. I’m really excited to test his chin”, the American responded.

Both Chandler and Paddy are predicting a finish to the fight, which means they will go at each other from the minute the bell rings.