Chael Sonnen: Conor McGregor needs early knockout to beat Michael Chandler

January 11, 2024 2:40 pm ET

Chael Sonnen thinks Conor McGregor needs to finish Michael Chandler early to win.

McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) is expected to face Chandler (23-8 MMA, 2-3 UFC) in a middleweight bout June 29 at International Fight Week. McGregor will return after an almost three-year long layoff due to a broken leg suffered in July 2021.

If Chandler is able to survive McGregor’s left hand in Round 1, Sonnen sees things going downhill for “The Notorious.”

“Conor has one way to beat Michael Chandler, which is knocking him out in the first round,” Sonnen said on his YouTube channel. “Turns out Conor’s good at knocking people out in the first round. But that is his only chance. If this sees the second round – think of DraftKings or something – you have totally different odds.

“If this sees the third round, we don’t even have a conversation: For sure, Chandler wins. Chandler could lose all 10 minutes to get to the third round, but if the third round begins, Chandler wins the fight.”

Sonnen advises McGregor to campaign for a three-round fight, which he thinks would be a completely different story.

“It’s not too late because the bout agreement isn’t signed to make Conor and Chandler three rounds,” Sonnen said. “Now you have a different conversation. You have a completely different line, you have a completely different book, you have a completely different analysis. Now Conor can win. Now he can win a decision. He can bank eight minutes and lose seven and win a decision.”

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