Later this year, Michael Chandler will be the opponent for Conor McGregor’s comeback to the octagon. His exclusion from the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) testing pool has led to a lot of speculation that his return may be postponed. That might not be the case, according to the former double champion.
“I’m not hurried at all. The six month thing – they had stated it’s two clean tests and off I go, so that’s why I assume it won’t be too long. There are obstacles, but we’re in contact, we’re in constant communication, and there’s an interview arranged and a meeting happens before it will be official.”
Later this year, Michael Chandler will be the opponent for Conor McGregor’s comeback to the octagon. His exclusion from the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) testing pool has led to a lot of speculation that his return may be postponed. That might not be the case, according to the former double champion.
“I’m not hurried at all. The six month thing – they had stated it’s two clean tests and off I go, so that’s why I assume it won’t be too long. There are obstacles, but we’re in contact, we’re in constant communication, and there’s an interview arranged and a meeting happens before it will be official.”
In 2022, USADA did not test McGregor since he had removed himself from the testing pool. As the former double champion was recovering from the fractured leg he sustained at UFC 264, there had been a lot of conjecture that the removal was the result of steroid use. It was assumed that “The Notorious” would need to spend six months in the testing pool before coming back, but he appeared to imply that this was not the case.
Conor McGregor’s return: ‘The Notorious’ claims he is too skilled for Michael Chandler
At some time this year, Conor McGregor will make his much awaited comeback to the octagon. The former double champion doesn’t think Michael Chandler is ready for his abilities despite missing nearly two years of competition while healing from a broken leg. He said the following on the podcast My Mom’s Basement with Robbie Fox:
“I’m simply too slick for Chandler. He’s never faced someone as skilled as me, and I’m too skilled for him. Yet I have battled someone just like him. It is a form of mixed martial arts. It’s kind of like MMA, the short wrestler, isn’t it? Nothing about it is odd or uncertain. I’ve battled that approach for a very long time.”
McGregor stated that he is planning to show Chandler the difference in talent level between the UFC and Bellator, where the latter was a three-time champion. The pair are expected to coach opposing sides in season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter before meeting in the octagon. The fight hasn’t been given a date or location, but everything points to it taking place at 170 pounds. The first episode of The Ultimate Fighter will premiere on ESPN on May 30.
