There are several important champions in the UFC that currently hold each title. Names like Israel Adesanya or Leon Edwards are well deserved champions at the middleweight and welterweight categories, respectively. But there are fighters like Jon Jones that attract more people to the sport.
Right up there with Jones is Connor McGregor. The Irish has always been a selling point despite his prime as a fighter is now a couple of years in the past. Although him not having success in the octagon recently hasn’t impacted his figure as an entertainer.
McGregor has been selected to be a coach in The Ultimate Fighter. This is a reality show where fighters have a chance to become part of the UFC. A big portion of the interest is also in the fight between coaches, that will have him fighting against Michael Chandler.
When is Connor McGregor vs Michael Chandler?
The Ultimate Fighter focuses primarily on the young prospects, but there is no denying that having a high-profile coach on one team adds extra interest. Him being present there also means that he’ll return to fighting after the fracture he suffered in 2021 when he lost to Dustin Poirier. That was the last time he has stepped in an octagon.
UFC has strict rules when it comes to the availability of the fighters. In order for a retired fighter to be part of an UFC card he/she has to be at least six months in the United States Anti-Doping Agency testing pool. That means he has to follow protocols supervised by USADA’s to be able to return. He said that he is entering the program, so the clock should be ticking by now.
That’s why Connor McGregor vs Michael Chandler doesn’t have a set date yet. It’s confirmed that they are fighting, although the exact day hasn’t been established. The expectation is that McGregor will fight Chandler later in the year. “I don’t have a date, but I’m obviously shooting for the end of this year”, UFC president Danna White said on The Mac Life recently.