An epic showdown is on the horizon as Michael Chandler gets ready to lock horns with MMA icon Conor McGregor. The anticipation is palpable, and while usual protocols dictate spending six-month in the USADA testing pool, Chandler raises intriguing points.
As he voiced his insights in Boston during UFC 292, Chandler said that he is prepared to face off McGregor even if that means McGregor won’t test in the USADA pool for six months.
He firmly asserted, “That, to me, is a very gray area. I can fight Conor with one day in the USADA testing pool or one year in the USADA testing pool. It’s not going to make a difference.”
Having last competed back in November, Chandler has navigated almost a full year away from the octagon. As he gears up for his impending clash, the passage of time becomes an inconsequential factor.
Chandler is okay with the match happening in December as McGregor suggested, even if it means McGregor won’t have to undergo a USADA pool test for six months.
Acknowledging the quintessential role of USADA testing for UFC contenders, Chandler stated: “Obviously being in the USADA testing is a prerequisite to being in the UFC. What I’m saying is, are we splitting hairs with the whole, ‘He’s got to be in for six months’ thing? How long was Bo Nickal’s opponent [Val Woodburn] in the USADA testing pool? This is what we do all the time.”
December might be the targeted month, but Chandler’s sights extend beyond the immediate timeline. Contemplating an alternate scenario, he envisions headlining UFC 300 next spring against McGregor or potentially against another formidable opponent.
Chandler reasons that his journey in the UFC arena merits a significant presence at the UFC 300 event.
He said: “That card makes a lot of sense. For a guy who came from outside the organization, and was outside the organization for 12 years and now stormed the UFC and kicked down the door at the party, I think it makes a ton of sense for me to be on UFC 300. Whether it’s me and Conor, or me and whoever, I’d like to be on UFC 300.”