Aside from Conor McGregor’s reluctance to enter the USADA testing pool, his recent verbal clash with Justin Gaethje raised concerns about the fight against Michael Chandler. However, after both McGregor and Dana White reassured the situation, Chandler shared his perspective on the upcoming bout.
Chandler has been eagerly anticipating to enter the octagon and compete against the former two-division UFC champion for nearly half a year. Since the announcement of the two lightweight fighters as coaches on The Ultimate Fighter, this matchup has garnered significant attention and has been a focal point for Chandler.
Michael Chandler reacts to Conor McGregor callout
Yesterday, The Notorious unveiled an ambitious comeback strategy, outlining intentions to engage with three opponents. This roadmap includes the scheduled bout against Chandler, followed by a BMF title match against Justin Gaethje, and a highly-anticipated trilogy showdown with Nate Diaz.
Michael Chandler calls for Conor McGregor to "tell the truth" š pic.twitter.com/n2w3UhvNg7
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) August 8, 2023
McGregor, sitting in the 02 Arena, shared this bold plan during a conversation with combat sports journalist Gareth A. Davies on talkSport saying, āNext up is Chandler in December. Following that, itās Gaethje for the āBMFā title fight. And then weāll set our sights on the Nate trilogy.ā
‘Iron’ responded to McGregor’s callout on X(Twitter), expressing keen interest in facing the Irish UFC icon. In a concise five-word reply, Michael indicated his full agreement with a December timeline, as he’s eagerly anticipated this fight for quite a while.
December sounds perfect to meā¦
— Michael Chandler (@MikeChandlerMMA) August 13, 2023
McGregor’s USADA snub jeopardizes the Chandler bout
Mystic Mac, a magnet for controversies, faces a pressing need to resolve his dispute with the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), which significantly affects the feasibility of his planned fights including the one against Chandler.
The viability of these matchups hinges largely on his commitment to adhering to regulations. About a month ago, McGregor criticized USADA, suggesting he wouldn’t rejoin their testing pool.
The former lightweight champion also defended himself by highlighting his clean record throughout his MMA career and numerous successful tests under the USADA program.
KSI found humor in Conor McGregor's callout š pic.twitter.com/nVX3LZM5Ub
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) August 12, 2023
As The Irishman pursues his ambitious fight plans, encompassing three MMA contests and a bare-knuckle boxing bout against KSI, it remains to be seen how he navigates these challenges without participating in the USADA testing pool.
