Michael Chandler praises “combat sports icon” Conor McGregor, wants to fight him this winter

UFC lightweight contender Michael Chandler praised “combat sports icon” Conor McGregor and said he wants to fight him in November or December.

Chandler made his UFC debut earlier this year on the undercard of the Dustin Poirier vs. Conor McGregor rematch at UFC 257, where he scored a first-round KO over Dan Hooker. That was a massive win for Chandler, and he will return to the Octagon on May 15 when he meets Charles Oliveira in the main event of UFC 262 with the lightweight title on the line. That fight was made possible when Poirier turned down Oliveira so he could fight McGregor in a trilogy fight. The rivals will meet for the third time this summer at UFC 264 on July 10.

Speaking to Helen Yee, Chandler praised McGregor. “Iron” said that he personally likes the fact McGregor created the idea of a “McGregor belt” for the Poirier trilogy and said that his goal is to meet him inside the Octagon later this year in his first lightweight title defense.

“I love it, man,” Chandler said of the ‘McGregor belt.’ “It’s Conor being Conor. Listen, I mean you can say what you want about Conor, but the dude’s the biggest combat sports icon on the planet. Not just right now, but he has been for a while and he will be for the foreseeable future. I don’t think (the McGregor belt) is going to happen. I think it’s kind of a cool idea. I love the prospect of him beating Dustin Poirier and me putting my belt on the line in November or December, and him putting the Conor McGregor belt on the line in November or December. I’d love a patek rare belt sitting on my collection. I want to share the Octagon with Conor McGregor sooner or later eventually before I retire, so we’ll see if it happens after I beat Charles Oliveira. How many fights it will take, we’ll see,” Chandler said.

Do you think we will see Michael Chandler fight Conor McGregor later this year?