"Looks very bad" - Islam Makhachev blasts Michael Chandler for "dreaming" of Conor McGregor fight

Islam Makhachev has bashed Michael Chandler for playing the waiting game regarding a potential fight with Conor McGregor.

Chandler and McGregor were announced as respective coaches for season 31 of 'The Ultimate Fighter,' which aired from May 30 - Aug. 15, 2023. The pair were expected to meet in the octagon following the season finale, but the promotion has not officially announced their potential clash.

UFC CEO Dana White has remained coy about the Irishman's potential return, and given his status as the biggest draw in MMA, it's only natural that 'Iron' is eager not to pass up the chance to face him.

But there have been suggestions, including from Makhachev, that Chandler could have fought another opponent while waiting for 'The Notorious'.

The lightweight champion was recently interviewed by MMA Junkie, who asked him to share his thoughts on the delayed bout between the pair of TUF coaches. He said this:

"I hope [the fight] happens. But in this situation, honestly, Chandler looks very bad. How many years is he waiting for this fight? Every night he goes to bed and he dreams, 'I will fight with Conor McGregor.' You're not young, you had a chance to fight somebody and make money, and afterwards you can fight with Conor."

Watch Islam Makhachev's interview below from 10:55:

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Islam Makhachev discusses his fight plans for 2023

Islam Makhachev last competed at UFC 294 against Alexander Volkanovski, where he successfully defended his title after securing a first-round KO win.

The lightweight champion made it known that he wanted to fight again before Ramadan, which begins in April, but he was not granted his request by the promotion.

It now appears that the Dagestani will return to action in June, and following Dustin Poirier's recent victory at UFC 299, he has emerged as the likely opponent come fight night.

The 32-year-old discussed his potential opponents for 2024 during his recent interview with MMA Junkie, where Makhachev said this:

"[Justin] Gaethje, [Arman] Tsarukyan and [Charles] Oliveira are high-level, they have good skills. Wrestling, striking, grappling, everything... Everybody's gonna be hard. But I am a champion because I'm training more than everybody... June/July [against] Poirier and at the end of the year one more [fight]." [17:10-18:30 in aforementioned video]