Michael Chandler is waiting patiently to face Conor McGregor next in his career. The former Bellator champion appeared on Season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) as a coach against Conor McGregor. The pair were supposed to take each other on in December last year. However, the fight never happened because of a delay in the return of ‘ The Notorious’ one.

McGregor recently posted a video on his X account (formerly Twitter) and announced his return at International Fight Week against Chandler. While many believe that the fight is worth the wait, former UFC champion Daniel Cormier feels a bit different. Let us delve into the details to find out what the Hall of Famer had to say.

‘DC’ wants Chandler to think of other options as well

Michael Chandler is the #6 ranked lightweight fighter in the division and was once a contender for the lightweight title. However his losses against the likes of Justin Gaethje, Dustin Poirier and Charles Oliveira have pushed him out of contention. Now the 35-year-old is ready to take on Conor McGregor next and get back to winning ways. While Chandler has been waiting patiently for the fight to happen, former UFC two-division champion Daniel Cormier feels it’s a step backwards.

On his ‘DC and RC’ show on ESPN MMA’S  YouTube channel, Cormier shared his thoughts regarding the fight. During the interview the New Orleans native said: “But RC you are missing the point. You are saying that Michael Chandler is going to be more popular. RC tell me some of these other dudes. Tell me some of the other dudes that have lost to Conor McGregor that are massive stars. The only ones that truly elevate are the ones that win and that’s no given. Donald Cerrone is no bigger today than he was before he fought McGregor. Jose Aldo didn’t get bigger because he shared the Octagon with Conor McGregor when losing.”

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McGregor in his latest video on X account (formerly Twitter) chose Chandler as his opponent. However he surprised everyone when he decided to fight at the 185 pound division. The fans since then has criticized the former two-division champion and called it a hoax. The UFC is also yet to make any announcement regarding the fight, but Chandler still remains hopeful for the fight to happen.

Michael Chandler still hopeful for the fight to happen

‘Iron’ was last seen inside the Octagon when he took on Dustin Poirier at UFC 281. He lost the fight and since then has been waiting to face McGregor. While McGregor initially delayed his return because of various reasons, he has now cleared all the air surrounding his next fight. The former two-division champion picked the International Fight Week for his return with Chandler as his opponent. Although, the fight is yet to be finalized by UFC CEO Dana White, ‘Iron’ is hopeful for the fight to happen.

The 37-year-old is at the Twilight of his career and recently made an appearance at the “Bussin’ with the Boys” podcast. During the interview ‘ Iron’ answered a variety of questions and also shared his thoughts regarding the match up. While many might feel that Chandler might just be pushed over for another fight, the 37-year old is still hopeful. During the interview he said: “I’m thinking, man, I am going to look like a big dummy if this thing doesn’t ever happen…. But ultimately, man, when you feel it in your heart, in your gut, you just got to roll with it,”

While Chandler might feel confident about the fight, there is still no announcement regarding the fight. Will the much-awaited fight finally happen in 2024? Let us know in the comments below.

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