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#2. Fans would rather see Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler than many other fights
One thing that has been notable about a possible fight between Michael Chandler and Conor McGregor since it was suggested at the weekend is the overall positive reaction from the fans.
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Chandler’s callout of ‘The Notorious’ was always going to get a raucous reception from an Arizona crowd high on the brutal knockout that ‘Iron Mike’ had produced, but it seems like the enthusiasm hasn’t waned at all since.
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On the other hand, McGregor’s suggestion that he could face Kamaru Usman for the UFC welterweight title upon his return to action was largely met with a mix of derision and scorn. Any suggestion that he could face Charles Oliveira for the UFC lightweight title – essentially jumping the queue – had a similar reaction.
The other mooted bouts for the Irishman, rematches with Dustin Poirier and Nate Diaz, haven’t exactly been met with much fervour from the fans, particularly online, either.
Both McGregor and the UFC will obviously want to maximise the cash potential for his comeback fight. With that considered, they’ll want to put together a clash that the fans want to see. Right now, it feels like a fight with Chandler is the one the fans want the most.
#1. Michael Chandler is a hot commodity right now and could draw money against Conor McGregor
One thing that’s always been important in the world of the UFC is striking while the iron is hot. Sometimes the promotion has missed the boat on this. They probably should’ve given a number of fighters title shots after a big win rather than going with what they’d already planned. Other times, they’ve played their hand perfectly.
The rise of Conor McGregor is a prime example of a perfectly-played hand. ‘The Notorious’ arguably hadn’t earned a title shot when he was granted a crack at Jose Aldo in 2015, but he was clearly the hottest fighter in the division and his wins over Chad Mendes and Aldo turned him into the biggest star in the promotion’s history.
On the face of it, then, it might make sense for McGregor’s return fight to come against Nate Diaz. His first two meetings with the Californian drew huge buyrates on pay-per-view, and they clearly still have unfinished business.
However, Diaz hasn’t fought since 2021 and hasn’t actually won a bout since the summer of 2019. Essentially, he’s yesterday’s news and isn’t hot. Michael Chandler, on the other hand, is absolutely on fire right now.
The stock of ‘Iron Mike’ has never been higher following his front-kick knockout of Tony Ferguson at UFC 274. Despite his losses to Justin Gaethje and Charles Oliveira, he’s clearly hugely popular with the fans.
If the UFC wants to strike while the iron is hot, then, they’d look to book a fight between McGregor and Chandler. If McGregor has any wits about him he’d go for it, too. This clash could easily become the biggest fight in a long time, and even if the Irishman were to lose, he’d probably make a ton of money in the process.
