Michael Chandler: ‘Anticlimactic’ Conor McGregor Fight Announcement, ‘Like the Super Bowl’

While he was in the audience at UFC 300 Michael Chandler gestured ‘3-0-3’ when the camera focused in on him. Not many would have guessed ‘Mystic Mike’ knew something the rest of us did not. A few hours later, UFC CEO Dana White announced Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler for UFC 303. But it turns out, Chandler was not as excited as the rest of us, for, arguably, the biggest fight of his life!

Everything about a Conor McGregor fight is a spectacle. From the fight announcement to the brief appearances the Irishman makes in the Embedded episodes. But nothing of the sort happened for the UFC 303 main event announcement and this seems to have irked the Nashville native.

Michael Chandler found the announcement a bit underwhelming

Michael Chandler has been waiting for this sweet moment for over a year. And when it finally came, he did not find it too sweet. When Dana White read a note announcing his main event fight at welterweight, perhaps it wasn’t exactly what Chandler expected.

“. . .it was like the most anticlimactic way to announce a huge fight almost like he just said it and then just moved on which was actually kind of funny,” he said in an interview with ‘The Mac Life’. He also recalled the rumors about UFC 300 announcements dropping during the Super Bowl, which would have also been massive.

“. . .they were talking talking about the Super Bowl and the UFC 300 was going to be announced at the Super Bowl.” Clearly, Chandler was looking for a little bit more. But he did say how an organization as massive as the UFC would have “layers” to it.

N0w, he’s gotten the fight. It won’t be at middleweight like Conor McGregor announced, but it still presents both fighters an opportunity to conquer a brand new division. In the meantime, McGregor can’t catch a break from fans saying he just looks different in every single picture.

Has McGregor vs. Chandler lost its charm?

Without a doubt, McGregor is still the biggest star in the UFC. And that stardom was a huge hurdler for a return at the recently concluded UFC 300. The event was big enough on its own. So why would the promotion cash in the McGregor check on the same night, when they can save it for International Fight Week?

If anything, McGregor’s headlining International Fight Week over the lightweight title fight between #1 P4P ranked Islam Makhachev and challenger Dustin Poirier shows how the UFC prefers their top draw over their top dog. But does Michael Chandler’s reaction represent the majority? Was it the best idea to drown out the McGregor fight announcement in the excitement of that Max Holloway KO?

Now comes the interesting part. Imagine this: if Dana White did not want McGregor to receive as much spotlight, for whatever reason, maybe even contract disputes, this was the best way to deliver it. Most people are still talking about the BMF fight and Alex Pereira‘s celebration after the Jamahal Hill KO than McGregor vs. Chandler. And McGregor’s recent actions haven’t helped either.

Conor McGregor is returning after a prolonged layoff. Many believe he may lose the motivation and after his recent pictures from his pub in Ireland, fans are thinking that he just looks a bit too different. Of course, the only thing that’s changed is his facial hair giving him a different appearance.

The former ‘champ champ’ has started posting training clips and he looks to be getting in fighting shape. Will he be able to turn things around as we approach June 29? And will Michael Chandler get his excitement in the lead-up to the fight?