Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler on WrestleMania XL? Exploring the chances after 'Iron's' cryptic "contract" tweet featuring Triple H

Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler was just mentioned on this week's episode of 'Monday Night RAW'. Naturally, this led to a wave of interest in whether the Irishman would face Chandler in a predetermined match at WrestleMania XL. Speculation was further magnified after a recent Chandler tweet.

The three-time Bellator lightweight champion took to X/Twitter to share several pictures, along with a short clip, of him meeting WWE CCO Triple H, whose real name is Paul Levesque. Furthermore, 'Iron' captioned the tweet by implying that he had signed a contract with WWE.

In light of his promo, it has left many wondering what his next move will be, especially given that McGregor doesn't appear fully committed to a return to the octagon. So, is there a possibility of him transitioning to professional wrestling with a WrestleMania XL debut?

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Michael Chandler vs. Conor McGregor in the UFC compared to WWE

While Michael Chandler's appearance on 'Monday Night RAW' ignited speculation that he may face Conor McGregor in a WWE match, there is almost no possibility of that happening. First, Chandler's promo on WWE television was a callback to his UFC 274 post-fight interview.

After knocking out Tony Ferguson, 'Iron' punctuated his win by issuing an emphatic challenge to the Irishman. He more or less did the same on 'Monday Night RAW,' specifically imploring McGregor to return to the octagon instead of calling for a match in WWE.

"You are now in the presence of the most entertaining UFC fighter on the planet! Hey, now there's a man from Ireland that's been making me wait for way too long, and I still got one dude on my mind. Conor McGregor, get your candy *ss back to the octagon! We got some unfinished business boys! God bless! I'll see you at the top!"

Check out Michael Chandler's callout of Conor McGregor (0:18):

Why would Chandler demand McGregor's return to the octagon if the new plan is to now face him in a WrestleMania XL match? His backstage appearance with Triple H, wherein he teased a contract signing with WWE, was likely just a promotional tactic to keep his name in the news cycle.

Chandler hasn't fought since UFC 281 on Nov. 12, 2022. He has done nothing to draw the attention of fans. No prominent media appearances. Instead, he has sat out for nearly two years after an underperforming season in 'The Ultimate Fighter 31', which even McGregor couldn't make interesting enough for fans to tune in.

In all likelihood, Chandler was just drumming up interest. Furthermore, it would make no sense for him to face McGregor at WrestleMania XL, given the reasons behind his desire to fight the Irishman in the octagon. First, Chandler is a competitor and wants to prove himself as the better fighter compared to McGregor.

This isn't possible in a pro wrestling match with a script and predetermined outcome. There will be no knockouts or submissions, not even a decision win. Instead, there will be a referee slamming his hand on the mat for a three-count after the agreed-upon finish of the match.

Secondly, Chandler wants to fight McGregor for the monetary gain and the pay-per-view points he'll get from headlining a card with the Irishman, which would easily outsell every other UFC pay-per-view of the year. There will be no such massive payday with WWE.

While he and McGregor would likely earn a fair amount of money for a possible WrestleMania XL appearance, it won't compare to what the base pay, win bonus, pay-per-view points, etc. of a McGregor UFC card. So, both the competitive and financial motivators for Chandler make a pro-wrestling match senseless.

Besides that, even if 'Iron' was interested, he and McGregor would need to train and practice to be able to put on a pro wrestling match. Neither man is a pro-wrestler, and the training, etc., that entails a WWE match is vastly different from an MMA fight.

With WrestleMania XL set for April 6 and 7, there is almost no time for either man to get enough training and experience to be able to put on a match. It is already the end of February, so Chandler and McGregor would have a little over a month to become competent pro wrestlers.

That is virtually impossible. Lastly, the Irishman's historical dismissal of pro-wrestling must be noted. The Irishman once took aim at WWE legend John Cena and criticized sports entertainment as fraudulent. He identifies as a true fighter and real martial artist, and WWE is the opposite.

Why would McGregor, who has been adamant about the UFC giving him a fight, make a return in pro-wrestling when he thinks it beneath him and MMA? The probability of him and Chandler locking horns in WWE is next to impossible. If McGregor does face someone this year, it will be in the octagon.

And if not the UFC, it would almost certainly be boxing, not pro-wrestling.