Conor McGregor has promised that he is "energetic and ready" for his UFC comeback fight with Michael Chandler after two years out of the octagon.
The legendary former two-weight world champion's comeback was announced earlier this month, but aside from a few retweets and some vague picture captions, he has remained quiet on the bout. But just hours before he flies out to Las Vegas to shoot the reality show, he finally broke his silence in an exclusive chat with Mirror Fighting.
McGregor was out at his Dublin hotspot The Black Forge Inn for a meeting with boxing promoter Eddie Hearn about potentially getting involved with his countrywoman Katie Taylor's homecoming fight in May. And after a final night spent with friends and fans at his hometown pub, the Irishman will leave on Tuesday to begin the build-up for his return fight.
"I'm looking forward to it," he said of the Chandler fight. "I feel good, I feel energetic, I feel ready. I'm throwing up my high kicks faster than I'm throwing out my jab. So I'm very excited to get back. [I fly to Vegas] tomorrow."
The massive fight, which still has no date or location set, was announced by UFC President Dana White in a promo video that got the combat sports world buzzing. Chandler has spoken at length about the bout, for which he has consistently campaigned over his two years in the promotion, while McGregor's only response has been to laugh off a message from the former Bellator champion.
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“If he lands one on the button, it’s going to be a rough night for me," Chandler admitted during a recent interview with ESPN. "If I land one on the button, it’s going to be a rough night for him, but which one of us can do it? I’m going to get in his face, make him take a backwards step right away.
"He’s going to feel my presence from the very beginning of the fight and then from there wherever the fight takes us. If I want to pick him up and put him down, I can pick him up and put him down and put a beating on him and get a submission that way.
"I believe I finish Conor in the second round. That’s my ‘Mystic Mike’ take on this, later on this year whenever it is.”
