NEW YORK – Despite his most recent setback, Michael Chandler still sees big fights ahead.
The former Bellator champion took a loss Saturday at UFC 281. He was submitted by Dustin Poirier in a Fight of the Night showing on the main card. The defeat derailed the momentum he had picked up this summer after knocking out Tony Ferguson in brutal fashion at UFC 274.
Chandler (23-8 MMA, 2-3 UFC) doesn’t plan on hanging up the gloves and still sees big fights for him in the division. One of those fights potentially is against Irish superstar Conor McGregor, who’s currently recovering from broken leg he sustained in a 2021 loss to Poirier.
“I think at this point he comes back, and he looks at the suitors, I don’t think I’m the easiest fight that he can take – but I do think I’m the biggest fight that he can take,” Chandler said at the UFC 281 post-fight press conference. “I think Conor McGregor stepping back in the octagon does big numbers no matter what, (but) he and I step in to the octagon, and we’ll do staggering numbers.
“I do think that. I respect him. I would love to see him come back. Maybe I’m the guy that he comes back and fights.”
Chandler has plenty of respect for McGregor. He hopes to see a return from the former dual champion back to the UFC.
“We all know that fighting is his first love,” Chandler said. “Exactly six years ago today, Nov. 12, 2016, he became the double champ, and he apologized to absolutely nobody, and it was absolutely awesome.
“He’s a legend of the sport. He’s the biggest name in the sport. It was bad enough we had to compete with Bentleys, Bugattis, boats, and a $100 million dollar whiskey company. Now we have to compete with the silver screens and bright lights of Hollywood. But come back to your first love, Conor. Step back in the octagon with me.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 281.
Michael Chandler wants to be Conor McGregor’s return fight: ‘We’ll do staggering numbers’
