Conor McGregor will finally make his return to the octagon this year, and Michael Chandler has been announced as his opponent. However, before the bout, they will compete against one another as coaches on The Ultimate Fighter.
The Irish UFC fighter has not fought in almost two years due to a leg injury sustained in his last bout against Dustin Poirier in the UFC 264. McGregor has made a full recovery and has already hinted at many potential fights, including one with Michael Chandler, which has now been confirmed by UFC president Dana White.
Michael Chandler and Conor McGregor have been named coaches of The Ultimate Fighter đż
They will face off in the octagon at the end of the season đ„ pic.twitter.com/owH5OkjTV3
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) February 4, 2023
Fans of the Notorious have been holding their breath for Conor to return to the Octagon. Now it looks like UFC enthusiasts will have to wait a little longer, though, as the Irishman is expected to return to his coaching duty on the next 31st season of The Ultimate Fighter, which premieres on May 30.
âBREAKING NEWS! Sources have confirmed to SevereMMA that Conor McGregor will coach the upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter.â severe MMA tweeted.
Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler will coach TUF, per Dana White đżđ pic.twitter.com/wtmMMvqcCD
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) February 4, 2023
The Irish mixed martial art fighter will be competing against the 37-year-old Michael Chandler in his second stint as a coach in The Ultimate Fighter. After the two lightweight fighters finish coaching on TUF, Dana promised that they would finally have a fight.
Since The Ultimate Fighter’s 22nd season in 2015, McGregor has not served as a coach. That season the two-time world champion in the featherweight and lightweight division found himself in the heart of trash talk, physical confrontations, and many other controversies.
Concerning Chandler, he too was defeated by Dustin Poirier at UFC 281 and has only won one of his previous four bouts in the UFC. However, the American has been wishing for a battle with Conor for a long time, and that wish is about to be fulfilled now.
