TLDR
- Israel Adesanya says Conor McGregor owes Michael Chandler a fight after making him wait for years
- McGregor suffered a knee injury 69 seconds into his UFC 329 comeback fight against Max Holloway
- Chandler and McGregor were scheduled to fight at UFC 303 in June 2024 but McGregor withdrew due to injury
- Chandler waited two years without fighting while hoping to secure the big money McGregor matchup
- Adesanya believes the fight would be favorable for both fighters and still makes sense despite their recent losses
Sources: mmafighting.com | mmasucka.com
Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya says Conor McGregor should fight Michael Chandler next, claiming the Irish star owes him the matchup after years of delays.
Adesanya made the comments on the Precision podcast with Demetrious Johnson following McGregor’s disappointing return at UFC 329 on July 11. McGregor suffered a right knee injury just 69 seconds into his comeback fight against Max Holloway and lost by TKO.
The fight marked McGregor’s first octagon appearance since breaking his leg against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021. After a five-year layoff, the 37-year-old’s return lasted barely over a minute before injury forced him to stop.
The History Between McGregor and Chandler
McGregor and Chandler have been linked to a fight for years. The two served as opposing coaches on Season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter in 2023, with the expectation they would eventually fight.
They were booked to headline UFC 303 in June 2024, but McGregor pulled out due to a toe injury. Chandler waited two years without fighting, hoping to secure the big money fight with McGregor.
Michael Chandler defends Conor McGregor amid speculation that he went into the fight injured:
"One thing [Conor] is not, he's not a quitter, he's not a bamboozler.
I believe [Conor] wants to fight me, I believe he tried to fight me. I know everybody is dissapointed but keep on… pic.twitter.com/HNGBn0Zq4L
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) July 13, 2026
“He kind of owes Chandler that fight,” Adesanya said on the podcast. “He honeyd*cked him for like, two, three years while Chandler was waiting for the big money fight.”
Adesanya said McGregor chose a difficult comeback opponent in Holloway, who is considered one of the best fighters in UFC history. He suggested Chandler would be a more favorable matchup for McGregor coming off such a long layoff.
Chandler, a 40-year-old former Bellator lightweight champion, recently lost his fourth straight fight. He was knocked out by Mauricio Ruffy at UFC Freedom 250 last month and has since indicated he plans to move up to welterweight.
Why Adesanya Thinks the Fight Makes Sense
Adesanya believes McGregor will want to fight again rather than retire after such an anticlimactic ending at UFC 329. He called the injury finish unsatisfying for someone who has accomplished so much in MMA.
“I think Chandler would be the only fight to make right now,” Adesanya said. “It’s a favorable matchup and also it’s a winnable matchup for Chandler as well fighting a guy like Conor coming off a long layoff.”
The former champion said the two fighters have “some heat” from their time on The Ultimate Fighter. He believes this history provides a good foundation for the matchup.
Adesanya added that Chandler should continue fighting in the meantime if other opportunities arise. However, he stressed that Chandler is owed the McGregor fight based on how long he waited.
McGregor has one fight remaining on his UFC contract. The timeline for his return remains unclear as he recovers from the knee injury suffered at UFC 329.
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Holloway has called for a trilogy fight with McGregor after winning their rematch. The two first fought in 2013, when McGregor won by unanimous decision in a featherweight bout.
McGregor is currently on a three-fight losing streak, while Chandler has lost four straight fights. Despite their recent struggles, Adesanya believes the matchup would still deliver excitement for fans who have waited years to see it happen.
