Michael Chandler has already been ready practically two years for a struggle in opposition to Conor McGregor however late Monday evening, he dropped a bombshell that nobody noticed coming.
“I’ve been supplied Islam Makhachev in October,” Chandler claimed on Twitter. “But when Conor McGregor’s little pinky toe is prepared by September, let’s do Sphere. Greatest sporting occasion in historical past of sports activities.”
The UFC hasn’t addressed Chandler’s declaration in regards to the struggle provide however October is the proposed date in Abu Dhabi when Makhachev is subsequent anticipated to compete. All indicators pointed to Arman Tsarukyan getting that title alternative however now maybe Chandler goes to leap the road — if he forgoes the struggle in opposition to McGregor.
After Chandler continued to tweet about Makhachev, the light-weight champion seemingly dismissed his would-be challenger, calling Chandler “unreliable.”
For what it’s value, UFC legend Matt Brown says Chandler could be loopy to not take the title shot if it turns into accessible.
“Why you wouldn’t leap on that, take it proper now, signal the dotted line at present, makes zero sense to me,” Brown mentioned on the newest episode of The Fighter vs. The Author. “I can’t consider any cause to not do it.
“Assuming Conor does come again – let’s simply assume he’s going to come back again – do you assume he wouldn’t like to struggle you for the title? You can completely set that struggle for the title, assuming that you simply win the title and no longer solely is it a Conor McGregor struggle however it’s a Conor McGregor struggle for the title. Does it get any higher?”
Brown has lengthy doubted that McGregor ever fights once more, however even with the Irish celebrity plotting a comeback from a damaged pinky toe that pressured him to drop out of UFC 303 this previous weekend, there’s no actual timeline when he would possibly really compete.
UFC CEO Dana White has been adamant that he’s not even going to debate one other date for McGregor’s subsequent struggle till he’s absolutely wholesome once more.
Add to that, McGregor stays the largest draw within the sport so he might struggle anyone in his return to motion after three years away and promote a ton of tickets and pay-per-views. As for Chandler, he has been ready for the possibility to face McGregor and earn the hefty payday that goes together with that struggle, however a light-weight championship alternative might be even larger in some regards.
“Michael Chandler wanted Conor. Now he’s acquired a title shot,” Brown mentioned. “Now he doesn’t want Conor. Get the f*cking title shot. F*ck Conor. Go!
“Take the struggle. Let’s say worst-case situation, you go on the market Islam destroys you, wrecks you in a single spherical, you assume Conor’s nonetheless not going to need to struggle you? You’re already coming off a loss. Conor needs a tune-up struggle – I might by no means name Chandler a tune-up struggle – however that’s what Conor’s saying. He’s like, ‘It is a struggle to get me again, it’s a superb matchup for me.’ That’s what he’s considering. No matter Islam does to you isn’t going to alter Conor’s thoughts on that. I don’t assume.”
Chandler’s emphatic message addressed to McGregor may be his final try and pressure the previous two-division UFC champion to determine on a return date, which right now remains to be unknown.
Even when McGregor publicizes he’s prepared by September, Brown simply doesn’t see how Chandler can go up on a title shot that may virtually definitely elude him in any other case.
“The one factor I can assume is possibly Michael Chandler is sort of simply placing it on the market for us and hoping to bait Conor in actual fast,” Brown defined. “This sport strikes too fast. He’s simply acquired to take it. It’s insane.
“What if Conor does say ‘I’m good for September’ and he turns down the Islam struggle, fights Conor and say he goes on the market and starches Conor actual fast and simple, Islam could have moved on by then. Beating Conor isn’t essentially going to get you a title shot subsequent. Now you’ve set to work your means in opposition to one other couple of men? You bought a giant payday, now you’ve acquired to go struggle one other few guys to attempt to get a title shot? Except the UFC guarantees him a title shot if he beats Conor. Who is aware of. It doesn’t add up in any respect to not leap on this chance right away.”
Contemplating the way in which Chandler posed the query on social media makes it seem that he’s nonetheless considering whether or not to struggle Makhachev or anticipate a response from McGregor.
Brown really hopes that’s not the case. In actual fact, he believes Chandler is simply getting one final jab in at McGregor earlier than saying that he’s preventing Makhachev in October with the UFC light-weight title on the road.
“I’m betting Chandler’s already made up his thoughts and he’s doing the Islam struggle and he’s simply speaking shit to Conor now,” Brown mentioned. “Simply sort of poking Conor a bit bit, simply letting him know. One thing like that. It wouldn’t make any sense not to do that.
“You bought what you wished this entire time. You bought the championship struggle. You bought an opportunity to get your dream. Now in case your dream is to make a number of extra bucks, I don’t know all of the contract particulars however how a lot cash are you realistically going to make versus Conor versus Islam anyway? Perhaps it’s a number of million however you’ll be able to’t go make a number of million? Chandler’s going to take that struggle. Perhaps he was simply trolling Conor, poking and prodding him a bit bit or no matter. Except there’s gigantic factor that we’re lacking right here, he’s acquired to be taking the title struggle.”