Well, well, well. If we’re to believe the man himself, Mr. Conor McGregor, it seems we finally have a date for his much-anticipated return to the Octagon.
The ex-UFC two-division champ let the cat out of the bag this past Sunday. He’s set to go toe-to-toe with Michael Chandler in a middleweight match. And when’s this showdown happening? During International Fight Week, no less.
McGregor shared the news in a social media video, wishing everyone a Happy New Year. He announced his return date and opponent, calling it the “greatest comeback of all time.” The place? Las Vegas. The date? June 29th. The opponent? Michael Chandler. The weight? A cool 185 pounds.
Now, the UFC hasn’t officially confirmed the booking yet. But Chandler did have some words to share with ESPN. “Here we go,” he said, “Any weight is good with me.”
A bit of backstory here. McGregor and Chandler were opposing coaches on “The Ultimate Fighter 31.” Their expected fight has been on hold since the reality show wrapped up. Interestingly, neither McGregor nor Chandler has fought at middleweight in their careers.
McGregor’s last fight was in July 2021. Unfortunately, he suffered a broken leg and lost to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264. Since 2018, the SBG Ireland standout has only won once in his last four promotional appearances.
Chandler, a former Bellator title holder, has also had a rough patch. He’s lost three of his last four fights. His most recent defeat was to Poirier via third-round submission at UFC 281 in November 2022.