Conor McGregor promises Michael Chandler fight announcement "very soon"

Conor McGregor has not fought since 2021 after two consecutive losses to Dustin Poirier. His imminent return was announced for 2023 after a starring role in the upcoming season of 'The Ultimate Fighter' (TUF).

McGregor will go up against Michael Chandler in season 31 of TUF with both fighters coaching opposing teams. The two are expected to headline a pay-per-view card sometime after the show ends.

Although the show is set to premiere on May 30, the UFC have not announced any details for the much-awaited fight. They are yet to announce the date, the venue, the fight card, and even the weight class of the bout.

However, McGregor confirmed that an announcement was due soon in his recent comments. 'The Notorious' was encountered by TMZ cameras and asked about the fight.

He replied:

“Soon, very soon. An announcement soon. Announcement soon.”

He also spoke about his intention of breaking the knockout record in the UFC, stating that he was "almost there" despite being five away from Matt Brown and Derrick Lewis' joint record of 13 knockouts:

“Just get back to it, get back to it. I only have five KOs to go so I’m almost there already. [And to the doubters?] I’ll see you soon!”

Check out McGregor's comments on YouTube:

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Grant Dawson offers to step in for Conor McGregor against Michael Chandler

The delay in the announcement is suspected to be due to Conor McGregor's ongoing tiff with the United States Anti-Doping Agency.

McGregor has not been a part of the testing pool, and protocol requires him to be tested for six months before returning to action. The lengthy delay has led many to believe that the fight may not materialize.

UFC lightweight Grant Dawson is amongst the doubters. But alongside that prediction, Dawson offered to fight Michael Chandler in the meanwhile as the UFC waits for Conor McGregor's clearance.

Dawson said in a recent interview with MMA Junkie:

"I'm telling you right now, the Michael Chandler and Conor McGregor fight, that's not going to happen. That's not happening. I would be shocked if that fight happened this year or at all, so if somebody wants to keep Michael Chandler warm while he waits for his boy, I'm your guy."

Check out Dawson's full comments on YouTube: