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Michael Chandler has said his inner voice “does not think I deserve this fight” with Conor McGregor.
McGregor vs Chandler was first announced in February 2023, but a date for the bout was not confirmed until this April, with 29 June set in the UFC calendar.
However, McGregor suffered a broken toe that led the fight to be delayed indefinitely, with the Irishman’s absence from the Octagon now extending past three years.
Meanwhile, Chandler has not fought since November 2022, and this week the American opened up on his feelings around the planned fight with McGregor – and its numerous delays.
“[My inner voice] does not think I deserve this fight,” the 38-year-old told Action Network. “But I do. He never would have [thought I deserved this], man, he never would have, and I think we all have that little guy or that little gal inside of us.
“And it’s okay to have them, and I think it’s also okay to open up about it. It seems more genuine, and it’s more authentic to speak about your struggles, to speak about your shortcomings, to speak about your doubts – because if you act like you are impenetrable and you’re bulletproof, it’s an unattainable psychology.
“I do hear the doubters, and I do hear the naysayers, and I do hear the haters of course, but we just keep on moving forward. And even though that little guy from that little town doesn’t believe that we were created to create this crazy life that we have, we just pat them on the back and say: ‘It’s okay, just keep on coming. We’re gonna keep on climbing.’”
Chandler’s last fight ended in defeat, as he was submitted by Dustin Poirier. McGregor also lost to Poirier last time out, suffering a broken leg against the “Diamond” in July 2021. That result followed McGregor’s knockout loss to Poirier six months earlier.
Chandler is a former three-time Bellator lightweight champion, while McGregor became the first dual-weight champion in UFC history in 2016, when he added the lightweight belt to his featherweight title.
However, McGregor vs Chandler is set to take place at welterweight, where McGregor, 36, has fought three times. At that weight, the Irishman traded wins with Nate Diaz in 2016, before stopping Donald Cerrone in 40 seconds in 2020.
