The latest season of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF), known as TUF 31, which will air from May 30 to August 15, 2023, has enlisted Michael Chandler and Conor McGregor to coach competitors from their respective teams.
While many are excitedly anticipating Chandler vs. McGregor at the conclusion of the TUF season, there is also much curiosity in which contestants will be shown.
Joel Torres of The Scrap highlighted a Twitter thread in which he claimed to have recognised some of the TUF 31 competitors on Teams Chandler and McGregor. Torres claimed in one of his tweets that Gabriella Fernandes, a UFC women’s flyweight competitor, had uploaded a video online showing them together, probably at the TUF home.
To that end, Torres said he had a list of fighters he thought would be on TUF and that he had repeatedly watched Fernandes’ video to cross-reference the faces there.
Torres noted in a series of tweets that Michael Chandler’s staff appears to be veteran-heavy given the presence of numerous former UFC fighters on it, including Cody Gibson, Austin Hubbard, Roosevelt Roberts, Kurt Holobaugh, Jason Knight, and Brad Katona.
MMA prospects who are vying for their first UFC contract, according to Torres, are part of Team McGregor. Nate Jennerman, Rico DiSciullo, Carlos Vera, Trevor Wells, Mando Gutierrez, and Aaron McKenzie are a few of the fighters who are on Team McGregor.
Also, it’s thought that McGregor may have invited one or more opponents of his choosing, probably from his SBG Ireland training facility. The fighter(s) and a few other TUF 31 contenders’ names haven’t yet been made public, either.
According to Cole Shelton’s earlier this month published report, the theme of TUF 31 would be veterans vs prospects. The season’s contestants will be split equally between prospects who haven’t yet participated in the UFC and previous UFC fighters who have been let go by the company.
Conor McGregor is at a crossroads ahead of his potential fight against Michael Chandler
Even though the UFC hasn’t yet made the TUF 31 cast public, excitement for the season has never been higher. This is especially true considering that Conor McGregor, a former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion, will likely make his much anticipated return to the octagon at the conclusion of the TUF season after being out since July 2021 due to injury.
Conor McGregor, a legend of MMA and a UFC superstar, has dropped two straight matches and three of his last five. Although the fight hasn’t been formally declared, many think McGregor and lightweight stalwart Chandler may face battle in the future.
No matter what weight Conor McGregor and “Iron” fight at, many believe it will be a turning point for the Irishman. A win versus Chandler might propel “The Notorious” into contention for the UFC championship, while a defeat would irreparably damage his reputation as a top competitor.