"Do a quick Google search" - Michael Chandler defends "time off" waiting for Conor McGregor after Islam Makhachev's recent criticism

UFC lightweight Michael Chandler has addressed his long hiatus from fighting.

'Iron' uploaded a post on X (formerly known as Twitter) sharing that he needed a break after competing in five UFC fights in two years.

"Time off was needed when you fight this hard... 5 fights in 2 years against top competition... be prepared for a dynamite spectacle."

In another post, Chandler took a jibe at his critics, asking them to look up the level of competition he has faced in the UFC.

"Go back and do a quick Google search of the strength of competition before you spout off at the mouth..."

Chandler has been in talks to fight Irish superstar Conor McGregor for quite some time. The two athletes appeared as coaches in UFC's cult show 'The Ultimate Fighter' in 2023.

Despite that, the UFC has made no official announcement regarding the fight yet. Chandler has been receiving criticism from the MMA community as 'Iron' might be waiting too long for a fight against the Irishman.

UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev recently commented on the situation. The Dagestani fighter stated that although he hoped for the fight to become a reality, the current scenario was not a good look for the 37-year-old Chandler.

"You know, honestly, I hope the fight happens, but in this situation, Chandler looks very bad. How many years has he been waiting for this fight? Every night he goes to bed and has a dream, 'I will fight Conor McGregor.' Man, you're not young, you have a chance to fight someone, make money and then after, you can fight with Conor. [Michael Chandler] had already lost his last fight... lose one more time and make money."

Check out Islam Makhachev's comments on Michael Chandler from the 11:04 mark below: