Michael Chandler remains unwavering in his belief that his long-anticipated clash with Conor McGregor will come to fruition. Despite media reports suggesting that McGregor has yet to join the USADA test pool, Chandler expresses confidence that the bout will happen this year.
As a respected figure in the UFC, Chandler believes that McGregor’s passion for the sport will prevail, ensuring their much-anticipated showdown takes place.
Chandler recently shared his optimism in an interview with Aaron Bronsteter, stating, “I can almost guarantee we fight by the end of this year, November-December of this year.”
Despite McGregor’s involvement in filming TUF31 and his extensive travels, Chandler firmly believes that McGregor’s dedication to the sport will motivate him to step into the octagon.
The prospect of McGregor entering the USADA testing pool seems promising according to Chandler, who asserts, “I think Conor will be in the USADA testing pool very soon. I do think this fight happens before the end of the year. […] Conor is very romantic and loyal to this game. He is very loyal to the purity of the game.”
Notably, Michael Chandler is also prominently featured as a coach in the current season of TUF, where Team Chandler currently boasts a commanding 3-0 lead over Team McGregor. The ongoing competition serves as a backdrop to the mounting anticipation surrounding a potential Chandler-McGregor showdown.
Conor McGregor has publicly declared his intention to return at UFC 296, the highly anticipated final Pay-Per-View event of 2023. However, McGregor must take swift action by joining the USADA testing pool before the impending deadline, which falls on Friday.
Earlier this year, McGregor found himself embroiled in a dispute with the anti-doping agency, claiming he was seeking an exemption from testing. These assertions were subsequently refuted by the USADA. Despite these complications, Chandler remains undeterred, suggesting that there may be flexibility in the rules for McGregor.
There are speculations circling online that UFC is waiting to see what happens with the infamous Mark Hunt court case before deciding how to proceed with McGregor.
Hunt sued the UFC after they gave an exemption to Brock Lesnar to compete at UFC 200. After Hunt lost, and Lesnar failed the post UFC 200 PED test he launched a court case.
The court case isn’t a foregone conclusion so it will be interesting to see what happens and how it affects McGregor’s case.