Michael Bisping explains why he’s picking Michael Chandler to defeat Conor McGregor in upcoming UFC bout

Michael Bisping is backing Michael Chandler to defeat Conor McGregor in their upcoming UFC bout.

McGregor has been out of competition since suffering a nasty leg injury in July 2021 in his second consecutive loss to Dustin Poirier. Having undergone surgery, McGregor is expected to return at the back end of the year.

Despite not stepping foot in the UFC’s Octagon since 2021, McGregor has endured in a second-stint on coaching a team on The Ultimate Fighter. Chandler took the opposite team’s coach role, which has set up a lightweight super-fight in the near future.

Considering both men’s recent activity and desires as of late, Bisping is leaning more towards Chandler to get his hand raised when the pair meet. In a recent short interview with James Lynch, Bisping addressed the fact McGregor doesn’t hold the invincible aura that he once did due to his recent performances, but understands given the success he’s attained.

Michael Bisping weighs in on Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler

With that said, Bisping still sees an opportunity for McGregor to get back to winning ways, given Chandler’s recent reckless defense he’s shown in the past and McGregor’s precision and power.

“Chandler — Just simply inactivity from Conor. The performances [by McGregor] haven’t been what they used to be. He broke his leg last time out. He’s enjoying the fruits of his labor, and rightly so. He’s achieved wild success. So, why shouldn’t he enjoy that? But that isn’t always conducive to a great fighting career.”

“Now, Michael Chandler is an athlete first. I mean, he’s training every single bloody day. So yeah, I’m gonna give him the edge. But you can never discount Conor. The man can crack, and Chandler does get hit.”

Watch Bisping reveal his thoughts below:

The UFC has not penciled in a date, location, or weight class as of right now. However, due to the enormous amounts of mass, McGregor has put on during his time on the sidelines, the former two-weight division UFC champion has teased a welterweight return.

Chandler, a three-time Bellator MMA champion, has become a fan favorite since joining the UFC 2021. Since scoring a round-one knockout in his debut over Dan Hooker at UFC 257, Chandler has gone (1-3) and fought for the lightweight title once. The 36-year-old has picked up a highlight reel win over Tony Ferguson and fell short against Charles Oliveira, Justin Gaethje, and Dustin Poirier.

Do you agree with the assessment from Michael Bisping? Let us know in the comments!