Michael Chandler needs Conor McGregor to maintain his phrase and battle him on his UFC return.
Chandler takes on Liverpool’s Paddy Pimblett at UFC 314 in April, however believes McGregor ought to go straight to him if he comes again to Dana White’s promotion.
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The 38-year-old was imagined to battle McGregor final June, however the latter withdrew from his highly-anticipated UFC return as a result of an injured toe.
The cancelled battle meant that McGregor prolonged his hiatus from competitors to 4 years, which matches again to when he broke his leg in opposition to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in the summertime of 2021.
Chandler has Pimblett to give attention to for now, however that did not cease him from issuing a problem to McGregor when revealing if he’s nonetheless eager about preventing the Irishman.
“His highway again to the UFC goes by way of me,” Chandler instructed Ariel Helwani on Monday.
“It goes straight by way of Nashville, Tennessee, and Michael Chandler. We’ve received to complete The Final Fighter 31.
“That’s the UFC’s sentiment. I believe it’s even his sentiment. We’ve Tweeted a little bit forwards and backwards, he mentioned: ‘I’m a person of my phrase’.
“Effectively, should you’re a person of your phrase then there’s just one man who you’re going to battle if you come again to the UFC.
“The man who had a contract together with your title on it, the man who signed on the dotted line and nonetheless to today has by no means missed weight and by no means pulled out of a battle.
“So it may very well be 2025. Might be this summer season, may very well be this fall, may very well be this winter, may very well be 2026. I don’t know.”
Pimblett is undefeated within the UFC and will probably be no straightforward job for Chandler.
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Nevertheless, ought to he win, Chandler’s mindset is more likely to look again at preventing these ranked above him, fairly than somebody like McGregor.
Pimblett is 5 locations under Chandler within the UFC light-weight rankings in twelfth, however both man would probably be in for a high 5 opponent ought to they arrive out victorious at UFC 314
No matter his subsequent battle end result, ‘Iron Mike’ believes McGregor nonetheless wants a UFC return to strengthen his legacy.
“My coronary heart of hearts says I am unsure for positive, however Conor has to return to his old flame,” Chandler added.
“The one factor that has given him each single factor, each single thingy object that he’s at present chasing – taking all these facet quests and facet jobs.
“Each single factor that he has might be tied again not directly or one other to the UFC .
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“The chance that they gave him, the push that they offer him…does he need his legacy to be: ‘Yeah, my final battle I broke my leg and I titled the best comeback in fight sports activities historical past.
“‘I fooled all people for a few years after which signed on the dotted line to battle Michael Chandler and pulled out of the battle by no means to return once more?
“I do not suppose he needs his legacy to be that.”
Chandler’s five-round co-main occasion in opposition to Pimblett takes place at Kaseya Centre in Miami on April 13.
The cardboard is headlined by Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes who will lock horns for the vacated featherweight title.
This follows information that ex-champ Ilia Topuria dropped the 145-pound belt to maneuver up a division and problem for the light-weight title.
He’s more likely to face 155 lb champion Islam Makhachev later this 12 months, however might meet somebody like Chandler or Pimblett too.