Why Henry Cejudo is unsure Michael Chandler vs. Conor McGregor happens

Nov 15, 2023

Henry Cejudo wouldn't be surprised if Michael Chandler got passed up by Conor McGregor.

Chandler (23-8 MMA, 2-3 UFC) and McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) are expected to fight after they coached Season 31 of "The Ultimate Fighter," which airs Tuesdays on ESPN and ESPN+ through Aug. 15. However, with McGregor yet to renter the USADA testing pool, a date for their fight hasn't been set.

Dana White recently said it's "hard to reel these guys in" when asked about the status of McGregor vs. Chandler, which has Cejudo questioning if the fight even happens.

"I could see them skipping Chandler," Cejudo told The Schmo. "I could see Conor just saying, ‘Hey, I’m gonna want this guy.’ Chandler's entertaining, but he's not a big name. There's no UFC belt around him. He's not a legend in the UFC. He's an entertainer of the UFC, but he hasn't got there yet."

"I feel like Chandler, if he had the right tactics, he could potentially beat anybody in the world because he has power and he has wrestling, but I don't think he's really kind of put those two things together that's really helped him to become a little more well-rounded in the tactical sense."

Chandler has earned four bonuses in five UFC fights – including a Knockout and Fight of the Year contender. He fought Charles Oliveira for the vacant lightweight title at UFC 262, but fell short in his pursuit.

McGregor hasn't competed since suffering a gruesome leg break in a TKO loss to Dustin Poirier in July 2021. McGregor recently stated his desire to compete three to four times a year, and vowed the greatest return in combat sports.

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