Video: Michael Chandler Has No ‘Ill Will’ Towards Conor McGregor over UFC Fight Delay

Mike Chiari@@mikechiariFeatured Columnist IVSeptember 19, 2024

Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Michael Chandler made it clear Thursday that he isn’t pointing the finger at Conor McGregor over the fact that their fight originally scheduled for UFC 303 in June.

Speaking to MMA Fighting’s Damon Martin, Chandler said the following when asked if he has any ill will toward McGregor:

“No, not any more than I had at the very beginning. I don’t blame him for anything, I really don’t. … I did all this to myself. At any given time I could’ve jumped off the train and said, ‘UFC, let me fight someone else.’ At any given time I could’ve said I am done with this. At any given time I could’ve said not to the obligations and just changed course. I put myself in this position. It was a position I wanted to be in, it was a decision that I made.”

MMA Fighting @MMAFightingMichael Chandler isn’t holding any grudges towards Conor McGregor over fight delays

(🎥: @damonmartin) pic.twitter.com/yog6QhrqvQ

UFC postponed Chandler vs. McGregor after McGregor suffered an injury in training, prompting Chandler to finally look elsewhere and accept a fight against Charles Oliveira at UFC 309 on Nov. 16.

In early 2023, filming began for Season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter featuring Chandler and McGregor as coaches. It is customary for the coaches to eventually fight, so there was plenty of speculation that they eventually would.

McGregor has not competed inside the Octagon since UFC 264 back in July 2021 when he lost to Dustin Poirier by doctor stoppage after breaking his leg.

Chandler has also had a long layoff, having not fought since UFC 281 in November 2022, but his absence has been due to the wait for a fight against McGregor rather than injury.

Last week, UFC President Dana White appeared on SNY Sports Shorts (h/t Championship Rounds) and said McGregor would have his return fight in early 2025:

Championship Rounds @ChampRDSDana White says Conor McGregor will return in EARLY 2025 👀

🎥 @nypostsports #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/9bbbIEc1qG

Rather than waiting around any longer for McGregor, Chandler announced a few days later that he would take on Oliveira in November instead.

Oliveira and Chandler fought once before with Oliveira winning by second-round technical knockout in a bout for the vacant UFC lightweight title at UFC 262 in 2021.

Chandler entered that bout on a three-fight winning streak, but the loss to Oliveira started a downturn, as he has lost three of his past four outings with the only win coming over Tony Ferguson at UFC 274 in May 2022.

After beating Chandler, Oliveira took down Poirier and Justin Gaethje, but he has now lost two of his past three fights, falling to Islam Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan.

A win for either Chandler or Oliveira at UFC 309 could go a long way toward getting one of them back in contention for the UFC lightweight title.

As for McGregor, he is now without a clear opponent for his return fight since it is unlikely the 38-year-old Chandler will fight again in early 2025 after taking on Oliveira in November.