— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA)
December 31, 2023
If Conor
McGregor is to be believed, a date has finally been set for his
long-awaited Octagon return.
The former UFC two-division champion announced Sunday that he will
square off against Michael
Chandler in a middleweight bout during International Fight
Week.
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“Ladies and gentlemen, a Happy New Year to you all,” McGregor said
in a video on social media. “I’d like to announce the return date
for myself, the ‘Notorious’ Conor
McGregor, the greatest comeback of all time will take place in
Las Vegas for International Fight Week, June the 29th… and the
opponent, Michael
Chandler. And the weight, Mr. Chandler, 185 pounds.”
While the promotion has not officially confirmed the booking,
Chandler did issue a brief statement regarding the bout to ESPN.
“Here we go,” Chandler said. “Any weight is good with me.”
McGregor and Chandler served as opposing coaches on “The Ultimate
Fighter 31,” but their expected fight has been delayed since the
conclusion of the reality show. Neither McGregor nor Chandler has
competed at middleweight during their respective careers.
McGregor will be competing for the first time since July 2021, when
he suffered a broken leg in a loss to Dustin
Poirier at UFC 264. The SBG Ireland standout has won just once
in his last four promotional appearances dating back to 2018.
A former Bellator title holder, Chandler has also lost three of his
last four outings. Most recently, Chandler fell to Poirier via
third-round submission at UFC 281 in November 2022.