Michael Chandler reveals plan to lure Conor McGregor back to the Octagon at UFC 314

The chances of Conor McGregor returning to the UFC look slimmer by the day, but Michael Chandler isn’t letting his long-time rival off the hook.

Chandler, 38, spent the last few years of his career in talks to fight McGregor. He coached The Ultimate Fighter opposite the Irishman, and their long-awaited fight was finally booked for UFC 303 last summer. However, it ultimately fell through when McGregor suffered a toe injury. When it wasn’t rebooked after several months, Chandler finally realized it was time to move on. At the point, he accepted a rematch with former lightweight champ Charles Oliveira.

Chandler lost his fight with Oliveira. Soon after, he was booked to fight rising star Paddy Pimblett at UFC 314 next month in Miami. While he has clearly decided it’s better not to wait around for McGregor, he is still hoping to coax the Irishman back to the Octagon.

In fact, he recently revealed plans to call McGregor out in his post-fight interview at UFC 314. At least, if he beats Pimblett.

Michael Chandler wants Conor McGregor to honor his word

Michael Chandler said he’s planning to call out Conor McGregor at UFC 314 😭

“I’m going to do my job on April 12th and I’ll call out Conor again. I get made fun of no matter what, I want to see him be a man of his word. If he comes back this year, I’m fighting him.” pic.twitter.com/5hmrgfsr5G

— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) March 27, 2025

“I’m going to do my job on April 12 and I’ll call out Conor again,” Chandler said (via Happy Punch on X). “I get made fun of no matter what, I want to see him be a man of his word. If he comes back this year, I’m fighting him.”

It’s understandable that Chandler is still determined to fight McGregor. The Irishman has not fought since a disastrous 2021 loss to Dustin Poirier, which left him with a broken leg, but remains the biggest star in MMA history. That also makes him the most lucrative opponent in the sport.

Unfortunately for Chandler, McGregor seems increasingly unlikely to fight again. Not only has been involved in a slew of legal troubles, but he also recently announced plans to run for president in Ireland. Of course, that isn’t going to be as easy as he seems to think.