Irish mixed martial artist Conor McGregor has landed in Las Vegas to lead “The Ultimate Fighter” season 31, where he will coach a group of men’s bantamweights and lightweights against former UFC lightweight championship contender Michael Chandler.
Conor McGregor has touched down in Las Vegas ahead of filming The Ultimate Fighter 31. pic.twitter.com/IFuWM64Qfn
— Chisanga Malata (@Chisanga_Malata) February 17, 2023
The highly anticipated show follows a longstanding tradition where the coaches will square off at the end of the program, although very few details about their fight have been released yet.
Since last Tuesday, the selected competitors and backups for “TUF 31” have been eagerly awaiting McGregor’s arrival. In typical TUF fashion, the fighters had to surrender their phones after being picked for the show.
McGregor, who has previously coached on the reality series during season 22 in 2015, last competed in July 2021 in a trilogy match against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264. Unfortunately, he suffered a devastating leg injury during the bout, resulting in a first round stoppage. He has since been on the road to recovery from his injury.
The Irish fighter is famous for being a two-division champion, winning the undisputed featherweight championship against Jose Aldo and the lightweight championship by defeating Eddie Alvarez in the second round.
Chandler, who joined the UFC in 2021 after a long stint under the Bellator banner, has fought five times since his arrival, earning four bonuses for his impressive performances inside the octagon. His explosive and brutal style of fighting is well-known, and fans will be eagerly watching to see what he and McGregor bring to the table on “The Ultimate Fighter”.