Justin Gaethje (red gloves) competes against Michael Chandler (blue gloves) during UFC 268 at Madison Square Garden. Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports

Conor McGregor, Michael Chandler tease future fight

By Zac Wassink | Last updated Nov 9, 2021 3:45 PM ET

Lightweight Michael Chandler (22-7-0) lost to Justin Gaethje via unanimous decision in what Steven Marrocco of MMA Fighting and Brett Okamoto of ESPN, among others, are calling a "Fight of the Year" candidate during this past Saturday's UFC 268 pay-per-view. Despite that setback, Chandler seems to have caught the eye of a fighter who would unquestionably be the biggest name-value opponent of his career.

As Okamoto noted, Chandler and former UFC two-division champion Conor McGregor (22-6-0) have taken to Twitter to tease a potential future contest between them:

I’m down at some stage for sure. Great fight the other night Mike, congrats!
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) November 8, 2021

Thank you sir. It would be my pleasure. See you soon.
— Michael Chandler (@MikeChandlerMMA) November 8, 2021

As Chandler suggested, any fight against McGregor won't happen until some point next year. The outspoken Irishman, who has dropped three of his last four bouts, suffered gruesome fractures of his tibia and fibula in a first-round loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July. He is thought to be sidelined through the remainder of 2021.

McGregor could ultimately ask for another rematch against Poirier, who also defeated him in January, or the former champion could look to complete a trilogy with Nate Diaz. McGregor and Diaz both hold victories over each other, and a third fight between the two would likely generate massive revenue in tickets sold and also pay-per-view buys.

Zac Wassink

Zac Wassink is a longtime sports news writer and PFWA member who began his career in 2006 and has had his work featured on Yardbarker, MSN, Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report. He is also a football and futbol aficionado who is probably yelling about Tottenham Hotspur at the moment and who chanted for Matt Harvey to start the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field. You can find him on X at @ZacWassink

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