Michael Chandler is still keen to face Conor McGregor in his comeback fight, and made an impassioned push for the bout to be made after his loss to Dustin Poirier last night.
The former Bellator lightweight champion lost his third fight in five under the UFC banner when Poirier submitted him at Madison Square Garden after dominating the first two rounds. But he believes that fans will be keen regardless of their recent respective records in seeing an all-action bout between he and McGregor.
Chandler and Poirier served up the fight of the night as expected for fans at the famed New York venue, with the two former title contenders going hell for leather over all three rounds. And given that McGregor is also on a skid in the octagon with a 1-3 record since winning his second belt in 2016, the match-up would seem to be one of the smartest.
"I think at this point he'll come back and look at the suitors," Chandler told the media after UFC 281. "I don't think I'm the easiest fight that he could take, but I am the biggest fight that he could take. I think Conor McGregor stepping back in the octagon does big numbers no matter what. But Conor McGregor stepping inside the octagon with me does staggering numbers. I respect him, I would love to see him come back and maybe I'll be the guy that he comes back and fights."
McGregor is reportedly six months away from a comeback due to his lack of USADA testing over the past year, and could take his pick of any fighter at lightweight or welterweight for his first fight back. But there is history with Chandler, whom he has previously told he would fight before the end of his career.
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"Get on [the drug testing], man," he told McGregor in an impassioned plea. "We all know that fighting is his first love. Exactly six years ago today, November 12, 2016 he became the double champ and he apologised to absolutely nobody, and it was absolutely awesome.
"He's a legend in the sport, he's the biggest name in the sport and it was bad enough that we had to compete with Bentleys, Bugattis, boats and $100million whiskey companies. Now we've got to compete with the silver screens and bright lights of Hollywood. Come back to your first love Conor, come back and fight against me."
