Chandler Rips McGregor – ‘The Sport Will Move On Without You’
Michael Chandler has ripped Conor McGregor, telling him the UFC will move on without him.
McGregor’s return remains uncertain after Dana White announced that he would not fight this year. After breaking his toe, Conor pulled out of his UFC 303 clash against Chandler. While McGregor hoped to fight in September, Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili will headline at The Sphere on September 14 at UFC 306.
Further reports suggested that McGregor could fight in December. However, White ruled that out, saying that the Irishman has no date. McGregor pleaded with White to make the fight happen. Chandler has now responded with a brutal reply.
Chandler Reacts
The news means that Chandler could move on by himself. He has not had a UFC fight since his defeat to Dustin Poirier at UFC 281 in 2022. The 38-year-old has wasted chances to remain active, hoping for the McGregor fight. He was offered a title fight against UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev.
Meanwhile, Chandler has said he would be open to rematching Charles Oliveira. They faced off at UFC 262 for the vacant lightweight title. Chandler almost got a stoppage, only to lose via a stoppage in the second round.
“The most realistic option for me if you look at the landscape and you consider everything is Charles Oliveira. I love the rematch with Charles. I think it’s a great fight to get the fans pumped up. [And] I almost had him finished in the first round, and then I made a glaring mistake in the second round that I would never, ever make again.
It was almost a self-fulfilling prophecy that I was working on in camp that turned out to be my demise. Me and Charles for the number one contender spot. I beat Charles, knock him out in the first round, then all of a sudden I’m sitting at the number one contender spot, and I get to choose whether I fight Islam, or do I fight Conor next? And why not both?” Chandler added
McGregor’s Future
Equally, McGregor has something to think about. The Irishman has been out of the UFC since losing to Poirier at UFC 262 in 2021. He suffered a broken leg, taking his record to three defeats out of his last four UFC bouts. He has two fights left on his UFC deal, meaning he is still tied down for at least two years if he fights once a year.
McGregor has also said previously he wants to fight in BKFC. He is a part-owner of the franchise. He also has possible boxing fights available to him, having faced Floyd Mayweather in 2017. But if McGregor cannot get himself fighting again, there is a serious chance that he will retire.
It would be a major blow to the two-weight champion’s legacy, as he looks a shadow of the man who captivated UFC fight fans worldwide. While McGregor’s influence on the sport is massive, helping it become a leading brand, there are now plenty of other stars looking to follow in his footsteps. Unlike McGregor, they fight regularly.
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