When Dana White remarked on Tuesday night at the post-fight press conference for Dana White’s Contender Series that Conor McGregor would not be fighting this year, thoughts immediately turned to the man who has patiently been waiting for the Irishman to get fit, get ready and get a bout agreement signed.
Michael Chandler has been the ultimate company man during the whole will-he, won’t-he saga with McGregor, and has remained calm and patient throughout as he has happily discussed the tricky topic with outlets in a host of interviews over the last few months.
But now, with McGregor’s participation in a possible matchup looking as uncertain as ever, Chandler has started to entertain alternative ideas for his next fight, with a matchup against former featherweight champion and current BMF champion Max Holloway high up on his list.
Holloway faces featherweight champion Ilia Topuria at UFC 308 on October 26 as he bids to recapture the 145-pound title. But, regardless of the result in that fight, Chandler said he’d love to share the Octagon with “Blessed”.
“I’ve got Max beating Topuria because you never bet against Max ever, unless I were to fight him,” he told Lucky Block.
“I hope Max overwhelms him and keeps that distance and keeps throwing punches in bunches and lands more punches. That’s the way that I would see it go.
“But, man, Topuria is the real deal. If Max did go ahead and lose, then me and Max could fight for the BMF belt. Who wouldn’t want to see just sheer violence? Me vs. Max for the BMF title.”
As for the McGregor matchup, Chandler remains hopeful that he will one day get to face the UFC superstar in the Octagon. And, if they ever do fight, Chandler says his output and energy will overwhelm “The Notorious.”
“I think my pressure is just too much for Conor,” he said.
“I think I will put him on the back foot immediately, and start putting pressure on him, and he will fight hard for the first half of a round. I do believe that. But at some point, the tides will start to change, and he will start going down as I continue to gain speed and continue to gain momentum. And I think I put him away.
“It used to be the second round, but at this point, with everything that has been built up, I think I will finish him in the first round.”
It’s been 19 months since we last saw Chandler in the Octagon, and despite his lengthy hiatus from active competition, the former three-time Bellator lightweight champion said that he’s still winning, regardless.
“It feels like I’ve won over the last year and a half, honestly, even with having no wins inside of the Octagon,” he explained.
“I’ve done The Ultimate Fighter and all of these different appearances, the investments that I have made, the companies that I am building, it’s given me an opportunity to realise that the fight is in front of me. It’s going to happen at some point.
“It has allowed me to focus on other things – on my family, I’ve been spending a lot of time with my wife and sons, spending time on my businesses, serving them and growing the numbers there. Really getting a glimpse of what my post-fight career might look like.
“It almost ticks the haters off that I’ve been able to enjoy this time and that I’ve been able to have an interview like this where I’m not mother-effing Conor and making all these excuses and pointing the finger at other people.
“I’m living an absolute dream. I am the most blessed man on the planet. I’ve got everything that money can’t buy. I’ve got everything that money cannot buy, and I’ve got some money as well, so it’s a good place to be in.”
The path forward for Chandler remains as unclear as ever. He’s healthy, he’s ready to go, but he currently doesn’t have a defined path for what’s next. The plan was to face McGregor, but with White stating that the Irishman won’t be fighting this year, it guarantees at least another four months of inactivity for Chandler if he continues to sit and wait for the former two-division champion.
Regardless of what’s next, Chandler remains upbeat.
“I’m gonna keep on being positive,” he said.
“I’m gonna keep on smiling through it, and the haters, it’s just gonna make the haters even worse. It’s gonna dig that dagger and turn that dagger just a little bit every single time they see me do an interview where I’m enjoying my life, and I know that I have options.
“I got options on that whiteboard right now, and this is not the last that you’ve seen of Michael Chandler in the Octagon – whether it’s Conor or not. It’s always going to work out. And it’s going to work out for the best for me and my career. And it’s going to be a blast.”
His confidence in things working out, regardless of McGregor’s involvement, stems from his relationship with the UFC brass, as he continues to trust the process as he and the promotion work out his next move.
“Let’s just say the UFC loves me and I love the UFC. Everything is good,” he said.
“It comes down to what type of person you are and how easy you are to deal with. What kind of pain in their side are you, and are you a man of your word? Do you say what you’re gonna do when you sign your name to a dotted line on a contract, and do you fulfil said contract, and go above and beyond? Or are you the other type of person?
“The UFC loves me and I love them.”
