Michael Chandler pulls back curtain on failed UFC booking against Conor McGregor

Michael Chandler has definitively made it known how he feels about 'The Notorious.'

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

UFC lightweight Michael Chandler has had time to reflect upon his career over the past few years, a time in his life that was supposed to be about getting the most lucrative payday of his MMA career – a fight against ex-TUF 31 coach and former UFC two-division Champion Conor McGregor.

The McGregor-Chandler Saga Explained

The matchup was initially booked for UFC 303, but a toe injury shortly before the event forced McGregor out of his return fight.

Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler served as opposing coaches on The Ultimate Fighter. / GETTY IMAGES

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Chandler did his best to wait for McGregor, the same McGregor who had not competed since July 2021 and last won an MMA fight in Jan. 2020 against Donald Cerrone at UFC 246.

McGregor, now a part-owner in BKFC while dealing with legal troubles outside of the sport, never committed to finally making his highly-anticipated MMA comeback.

Conor McGregor is carried off a stretcher following an injury suffered against Dustin Poirier during UFC 264 at T-Mobile Arena. / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Chandler remained active amid McGregor's sideline activity, as he lost a rematch against former UFC Lightweight Champion Charles Oliveira at UFC 309 last November.

Even with the Oliveira loss, Chandler now gets an opportunity to halt Paddy Pimblett's undefeated UFC record at UFC 314. The fight against Pimblett is one Chandler told Uncrowned's Ariel Helwani on Monday he is supremely focused on winning before returning his attention to McGregor.

"My heart of heart says Conor's got to come back to his first love... Every single thing that he has can be tied back, in some way or another, to the UFC, the opportunity that they gave him.

Does he want his legacy to be... My last fight, I broke my leg and I touted the greatest… pic.twitter.com/9SjvNtbdeS

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) February 24, 2025

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Michael Chandler on Conor McGregor's Fighting Future

In light of Chandler's next fight, however, part of him wants the story against McGregor to end with the pair fighting each other, whether this year or in 2026.

Charles Oliveira fights Michael Chandler in a lightweight bout during UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

"Does he want his legacy to be... 'My last fight, I broke my leg and I touted the greatest comeback in combat sports history,'" Chandler said. "'I fooled everybody for a couple of years and then signed on the dotted line to fight Michael Chandler and then pulled out of the fight, never to return again.' I don't think he wants his legacy to be that."

Chandler said as much as he wants to fight McGregor, he isn't holding his breath.

"Then again, I haven't walked a mile in that man's shoes, so I'm not going to say what he is thinking," Chandler added. "My heart of hearts says he's coming back at some point, but if I was a betting man, I ain't put money on it."

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Conor McGregor fights Dustin Poirier during UFC 264 at T-Mobile Arena. / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The UFC has remained rather silent regarding a McGregor return with no clear timetable set, much less even an estimation.

For now, only time will tell.

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