UFC Hall of Famer: Conor McGregor too powerful for Michael Chandler
With a wrestling background from the University of California, Davis, Urijah Faber typically sides with fellow grapplers in a matchup pitting a high-level wrestler against a high-level striker.
However, the UFC Hall of Famer believes the opposite will happen when former two-division champion Conor McGregor fights lightweight contender Michael Chandler at a yet-to-be-announced card later this year.
“Traditionally in the past—you know, old-school MMA—I would have said the high-level wrestler’s always going to win,” Faber told ESPN on a recent episode of “Before the Ultimate Fighter.” “… But I think Chandler takes a lot of big risks and likes to fight wild and aggressive. I’ve seen many times where Conor’s power is just too much and his precision’s too much. I think it’s going to be, in a five-round fight, leaning toward McGregor.”
Although Faber didn’t fight McGregor at the conclusion of their “Ultimate Fighter” season in 2015, he knows firsthand what Chandler likely endured coaching opposite McGregor on TUF 31 this year.
With an impending bout against Chandler, once the reality show concludes, Faber wouldn't be surprised if McGregor took his button-pushing to another level this time around.
“When I spoke to Conor about this situation, he said this season is different because he was coming off of his first big payday and his first world championship (on our TUF season),” Faber continued. “This time, he’s focused on making this his camp, so I think he’s going to be a little more on edge, to be honest.”
During TUF 22, McGregor did his best to get under Faber’s skin, talking smack about the former WEC featherweight champion and his coaches, even getting into a physical altercation with Faber’s Alpha Male teammate Cody Garbrandt.
Although Faber’s fighters went 2-3 against McGregor’s team head-to-head, he did get the last laugh when Ryan Hall, a member of Team Faber, defeated Team McGregor's Artem Lobov in the TUF 22 finale.
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