The entire MMA world holds its breath, eagerly awaiting a glimpse of hope for Conor McGregor‘s return. However, things are not looking good as his scheduled fight against Michael Chandler hangs in the balance. Months passed and TUF 31 began airing, but the fight remains far from finalized.

The main hurdle in the Irishman’s path is missing the USADA deadline to enter the testing pool. This setback means that McGregor won’t even be able to participate in the final PPV event of 2023, UFC 296. Speculation now runs rampant, with some questioning if the fight will be indefinitely delayed or possibly never materialize.

Recently, Michael Chandler shed some light on the situation during an interview with Daniel Cormier.

Michael Chandler about the delay in his fight against Conor McGregor

When asked about his thoughts on the fight and if he’s annoyed by the uncertainty, Chandler acknowledged the ongoing talks and negotiations but stressed the need for patience. He understood the intrigue and the eagerness for answers. But the former Bellator champ also emphasized that a fight of this magnitude requires time and careful planning.

“Yeah, there’s talks going on and happening basically every single day. I understand the annoyance for a lot of people. With a fight of this magnitude, two of the most exciting guys in the sport obviously, Conor and his comeback, the greatest comeback in combat sports history, as he’s calling it. They’re eager for answers but ultimately we all have to practice patience. This for me is a time to practice patience. I knew what I signed up for.”, said Chandler.

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Hearing these words from the 37-year-old fighter, fans did have a slight increase in trust in McGregor’s return.

Michael Chandler reassuring fans about Conor McGregor’s return

In a reassuring gesture to fans, ‘Iron Mike’ expressed his belief that McGregor will indeed make his return. He dismissed the notion of the Notorious tarnishing his legacy by leading everyone on a rollercoaster ride of uncertainty.

Chandler stated, “(There are) conspiracy theories about ‘is Conor coming back’? Is he not coming back? Is he partying too much? USADA this USADA that. I think Conor’s coming back! I don’t think he wants to sustain his legacy by leading us all down this road of ‘I’m doing The Ultimate Fighter, I’m fighting Michael Chandler, oh by the way never mind, I’m not coming back’.”

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Despite the rumors and speculation surrounding McGregor’s activities, Chandler remains optimistic that the Irish superstar will honor his commitments. Do you agree with Michael Chandler on this? Let us know in the comments below.