Michael Bisping picks Michael Chandler to beat Conor McGregor in eventual showdown

Michael Bisping has weighed in on Conor McGregor's potential fight against Michael Chandler. Bisping, a UFC Hall of Famer and former UFC middleweight champion picked Chandler to defeat McGregor when they eventually clash inside the octagon.

McGregor's most recent fight witnessed him suffer a gruesome leg injury and lose via first-round TKO against Dustin Poirier. The lightweight bout transpired in July 2021, and 'The Notorious' hasn't competed ever since. That said, the Irishman is expected to return to the octagon later this year.

The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 31 reality show's filming recently concluded, with McGregor and Chandler serving as rival coaches, while a potential fight looms on the horizon. Michael Bisping has now chimed in and indicated that McGregor's inactivity, lack of training, and lavish lifestyle habits might hurt him against 'Iron'.

Speaking to James Lynch, MMA fighter-turned-analyst Michael Bisping alluded to the fact that Conor McGregor has recently suffered multiple defeats and his performances aren't as impressive as they used to be.

Nevertheless, Michael Bisping insinuated that Conor McGregor's KO power can't be disregarded, adding that the flaws in Michael Chandler's defensive striking could prove to be his undoing against 'The Notorious'. Regardless, asserting that Chandler is likelier to win, Bisping stated:

"Chandler -- Just simply inactivity from Conor. The performances [by McGregor] haven't been what they used to be. He broke his leg last time out. He's enjoying the fruits of his labor, and rightly so. He's achieved wild success. So, why shouldn't he enjoy that? But that isn't always conducive to a great fighting career."

He added:

"Now, Michael Chandler is an athlete first. I mean, he's training every single bloody day. So yeah, I'm gonna give him the edge. But you can never discount Conor. The man can crack, and Chandler does get hit."

Watch Bisping discuss the topic at the 0:08 mark in the video below:

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Potential weight and timeline for Conor McGregor's much-awaited fight against Michael Chandler

The exact date and weight class for the Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler matchup haven't been officially announced yet. However, there's widespread speculation that McGregor's comeback matchup could see him return to the welterweight division. Many foresee the McGregor-Chandler fight possibly taking place at welterweight in September.

Former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion Conor McGregor has competed at featherweight, lightweight, and welterweight in his MMA career. Meanwhile, Michael Chandler fought at welterweight early in his career but eventually became a mainstay at lightweight.

Chandler, an American MMA stalwart and former three-time Bellator lightweight champion, has consistently claimed that he's willing to fight 'The Notorious' irrespective of what weight their bout is contested at. Fans can expect details regarding the date and weight class for the matchup to unravel in the days to come.