Michael Chandler Reveals Plan to Lure Conor McGregor Back to the Octagon at UFC 314

Conor McGregor (left) and Michael Chandler (right) are rivals in the UFC (Photo: Instagram/UFC)

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The chances of Conor McGregor returning to the UFC seem increasingly slim, but one man on Earth intends not to let his longtime rival get away. Michael Chandler has spent the last few years of his career negotiating a fight against the Irish star. The long-awaited confrontation was finally scheduled for UFC 303 last year. However, it ultimately fell through when 'The Notorious' suffered a toe injury.

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When the fight wasn't rescheduled after several months, Chandler finally realized it was time to move on. At that point, he accepted a rematch with former lightweight champion (up to 70,3kg) Charles Oliveira . The American ended up losing by unanimous decision after a thrilling fight at UFC 309.

Now, he's been scheduled to fight rising star Paddy Pimblett at UFC 314 next month in Miami. And while Chandler has clearly decided it's best not to wait for McGregor, he still hopes to persuade the Irishman back into the octagon. Recently, 'Iron' revealed what he intends to do in his post-fight interview at UFC 314 – if he defeats Pimblett.

“I’m going to do my job on April 12th and I’m going to challenge Conor again. I’m a laughingstock no matter what, I want to see him be a man of his word. If he comes back this year, I’m going to fight him,” Chandler said in an interview with 'Happy Punch'.

Michael Chandler said he's planning to call out Conor McGregor at UFC 314

“I'm going to do my job on April 12th and I'll call out Conor again. I get made fun of no matter what, I want to see him be a man of his word. If he comes back this year, I'm fighting him.” pic.twitter.com/5hmrgfsr5G

— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) March 27, 2025

It's understandable that Chandler is still determined to fight McGregor. The Irishman hasn't fought since a disastrous 2021 loss to Dustin Poirier , which left him with a broken leg, but he remains the biggest star in MMA history. That also makes him the sport's most lucrative opponent.

Unfortunately for Chandler, McGregor is looking increasingly unlikely to fight again. Not only has he been embroiled in a series of personal issues, but he also recently announced plans to run for president of Ireland.

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