Will Conor McGregor ever struggle once more? Will he face Michael Chandler in December, as each have alluded to, after their cancelled UFC 303 bout in June?
These questions have but to be answered, however veteran fighter Urijah Faber is assured that “The Infamous” is much from achieved.
Faber, a former WEC featherweight champion who additionally coached a season of The Final Fighter reverse McGregor again in 2015, instructed MMA Combating that he sees starvation in McGregor regardless of all the cash and fame the Irishman has made all through the years.
“For being a pal however a distant pal, somebody that I really feel like I’ve spent sufficient time on with to type of perceive, the man needs to struggle,” Faber stated. “He has cash, he has fame, he may simply go and simply do the film profession or be a businessman or no matter, however I really feel like in his coronary heart, his identification, his passions are nonetheless to struggle. I believe he’ll struggle.”
McGregor fractured his leg in a trilogy bout with Dustin Poirier in July 2021 and later left the USADA drug-testing pool, which delayed a possible UFC return. McGregor was lastly cleared in 2024 and booked the Chandler match for UFC 303, however withdrew weeks prior with an injured pinky toe.
Faber’s teammate Chad Mendes, who as soon as fought McGregor for the UFC interim title at UFC 189, doubts he’s ever coming again, telling MMA Combating that McGregor “simply retains backing out.”
Faber disagrees.
“He’s in no rush, he’s going to do it on his phrases, which is a superb place to be,” Faber stated of the fixed delays. “Not many individuals on this world, in our world, blended martial arts, get to be within the place he’s in, the place he wears the pants. However I believe he’ll struggle as a result of he likes to struggle. I imply, that’s who he’s in his coronary heart, that’s what’s given him these alternatives. He’s nonetheless younger and stuffed with piss and vinegar, so I hope to see him struggle. The MMA house at all times advantages when a celebrity comes out and places their neck out.”
McGregor gained 10 of his first 12 UFC bouts, beating the likes of Jose Aldo, Poirier, Max Holloway, Nate Diaz, and Eddie Alvarez, however was stopped twice by Poirier in 2021. If his return is booked for December, it is going to be nearly 5 years after his most up-to-date victory — a 40-second knockout in opposition to Donald Cerrone. However Faber is impressed sufficient, primarily based on the footage he’s seen of McGregor coaching, to choose the previous champ to beat Chandler.
“If he trains accurately, I believe he’ll win,” Faber stated. “We really despatched him a Rollbot. In the event you haven’t seen it, rollbotbjj.com, it’s an organization that I’ve. I used to be impressed. The Rollbot is a high-tech coaching dummy with neck sensors and joints that dislocate. He needed one dangerous, so we despatched him one out, and I used to be watching him on that factor — and I’m like, ‘This man is as expert because it will get when he goes to the bottom.’ He hasn’t misplaced a beat, so I’d prefer to see him again.”
