After ready greater than a yr for his struggle in opposition to Conor McGregor to lastly get scheduled, Michael Chandler understands the stakes for UFC 303.
It’s been a protracted look forward to three-time Bellator light-weight champion to get his arms on McGregor after teaching on The Final Fighter 31 in early 2023. From McGregor’s drama with the UFC’s anti-doping program to the Irishman’s latest promotional tour for the Street Home remake, Chandler has patiently waited for the prospect to get again to his main enterprise, which is preventing.
Whereas he admits there have been just a few worrying moments when he puzzled if the struggle would really occur, Chandler has no doubts now that McGregor will present up on June 29.
“I may need some doubts that he’s coaching as onerous as me,” Chandler stated on The MMA Hour. “I may need some doubts that he’s taking as severe as me. I’m a man that doesn’t have too huge of an ego to provide my opponent, the person who I wish to dismantle, to provide him some props. He’s had a number of opponents previously pull out, quick discover. [Nate] Diaz, which he misplaced by the best way. [Jose] Aldo pulls out, he fights Chad Mendes.
“When he indicators his title to the dotted line, yeah, he’s going to throw some smoke and mirrors, yeah, he’s going to troll — he trolled you, he trolled me, he trolled everyone. He’s a showman. He likes to be the puppet grasp. He likes to get the reactions. However when it comes right down to it, Conor McGregor, the Mac is again, the best comeback in fight sports activities historical past that he has been speaking about now for this lengthy, it’s on this date, he has signed the contract. The person will present up.
“It’s going to be an act of God or a ridiculous loopy set of circumstances for him to not present up. That’s my private opinion.”
Assuming catastrophe doesn’t strike, McGregor’s return occurs nearly precisely three years after he suffered a devastating damaged leg in his most up-to-date outing in opposition to Dustin Poirier in 2021. It’s been a protracted street again for the Irish famous person after coping with an harm that eternally altered the course for former champions like Anderson Silva and Chris Weidman.
Specifically, Silva by no means fairly seemed the identical after he suffered the same leg break. His UFC tenure ended with a 1-5 file and one no-contest in his remaining seven octagon fights.
McGregor additionally turns 36 simply two weeks after UFC 303, so time isn’t on his facet.
That’s why Chandler believes UFC 303 would be the can’t-miss second of the yr in fight sports activities, as a result of both McGregor proves he’s actually again with a shocking efficiency, or he doubtlessly limps out of the octagon for the ultimate time in his profession.
“I’ve stated — and I’ve gone on file now saying — everyone has to purchase this pay-per-view, as a result of considered one of two issues goes to occur,” Chandler stated. “Conor succeeds in coming again and it being the best comeback in fight sports activities historical past, he will get a win and he’s again on the horse. He’s again within the win column and he’s most likely preventing an enormous, enormous struggle, whether or not it’s the ‘BMF’ belt, whether or not it’s the light-weight title, whether or not it’s the welterweight title, it’s one thing. That’s situation one.
“The most certainly situation is I’m going on the market and completely dismantle him and it could be the final time we ever see Conor struggle.”
Chandler guarantees he’s not making that declaration as a result of he expects McGregor to name it a profession, however he is aware of the previous two-division champion has all the time taken pleasure in being among the best fighters on the planet at any time when he competes.
If McGregor can not measure up in that regard, he may not have a cause to stay round after UFC 303 is completed.
“I don’t say that with ailing will, saying I’m going to retire him, I’m going to place him in a physique bag, all these various things,” Chandler stated. “We’ll see the place he stacks up on this planet of the high-class fighters on this division, whether or not or not it’s 155 or 170. I’m a top-ranked man. The brand new rankings got here out, I sort of dipped somewhat bit now. Prime seven. So we’ll see the place he stacks up.
“It might be the final time we ever see him. So folks have to purchase the pay-per-view as a result of it might be the final time you see Conor, and also you see me climb as much as the following rung, after which there’s greater and brighter lights on me after this struggle.”
It could be do-or-die for McGregor on June 29, however Chandler guarantees the stakes are simply as excessive for him.
“I can’t lose to the man that’s been out for 3 years,” Chandler stated. “I can’t lose to the man who’s been written off. I can’t lose to the man who gave up and he’s sleeping on silk sheets on his Lamborghini yacht. I can’t lose to that man. So there’s quite a lot of strain happening.”
