Conor McGregor (22-6) pushed hard to face Michael Chandler (23-10) in his UFC comeback before negotiations shifted toward the Max Holloway (27-9) rematch now set for UFC 329 on July 11, according to his manager Audie Attar.
Attar revealed McGregor felt a personal obligation to Chandler following their shared experience as opposing coaches on The Ultimate Fighter 31 and the subsequent cancellation of their scheduled UFC 303 bout in June 2024 after Conor sustained a broken toe in training. The fight ultimately fell through due to the UFC’s own scheduling priorities rather than any reluctance from McGregor’s side.
“Conor really wanted to give that to Michael Chandler. He just felt Michael deserved it, having gone through the show and experienced that camp, the unfortunate injury, and the cancellation of the bout. Conor really, really wanted that to happen, and we did everything to try to push it. At the time, it just didn’t make sense for the UFC. But it doesn’t mean that it might not happen in the future. It can become a reality,” Attar said