At some point, former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor is expected to return to the octagon. Lightweight contender Michael Chandler believes that he’ll be standing across the cage from “Notorious” when the Irishman returns.
After all, the fight promotion built a match between the two when they were pitted as opposite coaches on The Ultimate Fighter 31 last year. If and when the two finally fight, former two-division champion Henry Cejudo thinks he knows who’ll win.
“Tactically. Stylistically. If Michael Chandler can bring in the wrestling, if Michael Chandler can tactically slow this guy down, or if we get Michael Chandler, the guy who likes to crowd please then I’m going to have to give it to Conor McGregor,” said Cejudo on his YouTube channel.
Cejudo ultimately picked Chandler to defeat McGregor, but only if Chandler can stick to a game plan of mixing in his wrestling.
“If I had to choose somebody that will more than likely win this fight, like I said, if he (Chandler) sticks to the game plan he wins. But if he doesn’t stick to that game plan then Conor McGregor is more than likely is going to win,” Cejudo said.
“I think Michael Chandler is smarter than that. I think this is a time where Michael Chandler just wants the W and he’s probably going to go in and use his wrestling. For that reason, as much as Conor McGregor, everybody would like to see him win, I just can’t.”
McGregor last fought in July 2021 at UFC 264, losing to Dustin Poirier after suffering a broken leg. While McGregor has been on the mend and on the sidelines Chandler fought three times, losing to Poirier and Justin Gaethje and defeating Tony Ferguson.