UFC commentator Joe Rogan says that he would like to see Conor McGregor make his return to the UFC against Michael Chandler.
McGregor is coming off a first-round TKO loss to Max Holloway at UFC 329 in a fight where he tore his ACL. He is expected to be sidelined for one year while recovering from the injury.
As for Chandler, he is coming off a brutal KO loss to Mauricio Ruffy at UFC Freedom 250.
When McGregor returns to the Octagon next year for what will be the final fight under his current UFC contract, Rogan says he wants to see him fight Chandler in what would be a rebooking of a fight originally scheduled for UFC 303 in June 2024.
Joe Rogan Wants Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler
Speaking on “The Joe Rogan Experience” podcast, Rogan explained why he wants to see McGregor vs. Chandler next, and why the UFC made a mistake when they booked McGregor against Holloway at UFC 329.
“Look, if Conor McGregor really does come back a year from now, I think he wants to fight Max Holloway. ‘I’ve got to finish what I’ve started!’ But really, Chandler was the right fight for him anyway. Because they were supposed to fight, they did The Ultimate Fighter together, they were supposed to fight a long time ago, and then Conor breaks his (toe) and all that jazz. They were supposed to fight forever ago. That would have been a fun fight. A good fight for Conor because Chandler is, like, he’s very aggressive. He gets hit. But Chandler is tough as (expletive), man, and he’s a really good wrestler, whereas Conor, in his prime, was one of the best strikers ever. It would have been fun,” Rogan said (via MMAFighting.com).
What Will the UFC Do?
We shall see what the UFC has planned for McGregor in his comeback fight, but a fight against Chandler seems far more likely than a trilogy bout against Holloway, given the disappointing ending to their rematch.
Another option could be UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje, but the smart money is on Chandler getting the fight.
Joe Rogan Wants Conor McGregor to Fight Michael Chandler