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Michael Chandler may no longer be Conor McGregor’s next opponent, but he is far from convinced that their rivalry is over.
After nearly two years of waiting for a fight with McGregor, Chandler has instead watched the Irish superstar be booked for his UFC return to face Max Holloway. The matchup will headline UFC 329 on July 11 during International Fight Week.
Despite being passed over, Chandler appears surprisingly at peace with the UFC’s decision. He admitted that the McGregor saga has felt like a lengthy roller coaster. In a recent interview with MMA Junkie, he said:
“It’s funny, man… Me vs. Conor, whether it was ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ in the lead-up, then the actual training camp, then the pullout of the fight and the possible rebooking – this whole thing has been an up-and-down soap opera for the better part of a couple of years. As big as it was, as entrenched as I was into it, I just feel like I’m a million miles away now. I don’t really have any emotions about it, and maybe it’s because obviously I’m focused on Mauricio Ruffy at the White House.”
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He added:
“Whether me and Conor fight in the UFC or not, Conor and I will compete against each other at some point, in some venue, somewhere, somehow, some way. The story is there, the animosity is there, but also the mutual respect is already there. It’s got all the makings of a blockbuster. So if it happens down the line, it happens down the line. But I wish him well and it’s good to hear obviously. I know they wanted that fight. I wanted the fight. Obviously the UFC had different plans, and the UFC has every right to make whatever fight they want to make. So, here we are.”
Check out Michael Chandler‘s comments below (10:30):
Usman Nurmagomedov doubts Conor McGregor will even make it to UFC 329
Bellator lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov recently expressed doubts about Conor McGregor’s ability to reach UFC 329 without another setback. The undefeated Dagestani questioned whether the long-awaited comeback would actually happen after years of delays and canceled plans.
Nurmagomedov also pointed to McGregor’s five-year absence from competition as a major concern. Even if the fight proceeds as scheduled, he believes Holloway’s activity, durability, and recent form make him the favorite heading into July. In a recent interview with Mike Bohn, he said:
“I don’t think he’s going to fight. I think he’s going to pull out, or something happens, or in this world a war is going to begin, but he’s not going to fight If he’s going to fight with Holloway, of course all MMA fans are going to watch this fight. In my opinion, Holloway is going to win because he was active. When you don’t fight for like almost five years – five years, he’s now 37.”
Edited by Abhishek Nambiar
