Former UFC double champion Conor McGregor may have been out of the octagon for a while, but his interest in the sport is still very much alive especially when it comes to high-profile matchups.
McGregor, who’s long teased a return to face Michael Chandler, has yet to make that fight a reality. After years of buildup and anticipation, the matchup never materialized. Now, Chandler is finally getting back in action, set to face Paddy Pimblett at UFC 314,after a loss to Charles Oliveira. With fight week in full swing, McGregor broke his silence and made it clear he’s watching closely.
“I am interested in the Chandler/Pimblett fight this weekend,” McGregor wrote on Instagram.
The comment didnt really garner the interest the fighter thought it would as he has been unable to keep his promise of stepping into the cage since his foot injury in 2021. Although Michael is still open to face the Irishman, he is not sure McGregor has what it takes to get into a training camp after such a long layoff.
“I’m sure he’s watching,” Chandler said when asked about McGregor’s post. “He watches, and he’s very interested in coming back—but can he put together a training camp? That’s the real question. We don’t know.
“All I know is you can see by my actions—fighting Charles Oliveira in November, and now five months later, fighting Paddy Pimblett, putting my ranking on the line, going out to brave the unknown—I’m staying active.”
“In my first 26 months in the UFC, I weighed in six times, fought five times. Fight of the Night, Fight of the Year, Debut of the Year, Knockout of the Year… All I do is put on great fights. I do it for you guys, and on Saturday night, we’re going to do it again. I don’t really care what Conor tweets. If he comes back, we’ve got to finish The Ultimate Fighter 31, and he’ll be impressed with my performance on Saturday night.”
On the other hand, Paddy Pimblett welcomed the comment from McGregor but is keeping his eyes on the task at hand his biggest career fight to date against Chandler.
“I seen it, obviously. I got sent it by a good few people,” Pimblett said about McGregor’s Instagram post. “I welcome that fight. That’s where the money’s at.
“But I can’t look past Michael. I’ve got to fight Michael on Saturday night and get the win here. That’s all that matters.”
While McGregor’s return remains uncertain, there’s no denying that all eyes will be on UFC 314.
