On Facebook
On Flipboard
On Twitter
Now closing in on a year since their failed fight booking, Michael Chandler apparently still hasn’t given up hope of meeting Conor McGregor in the UFC.
The former Bellator champion coached opposite McGregor on The Ultimate Fighter: Season 31 back in 2023 with the expectation that the pair would fight after the season, but the matchup failed to materialize before the end of the year and was pushed to 2024.
“The Notorious” famously withdrew from their fight due to a broken toe shortly before UFC 303 last June, leaving Chandler to finally move on and meet Charles Oliveira in a rematch in November before he most recently took on Paddy Pimblett in the co-main event of UFC 314.
Chandler Offers Date For McGregor Fight
Losses to Oliveira and Pimblett put Chandler on the second three-fight skid of his career, and this week “Iron” unexpectedly took to Threads to either tease plans for a fight with McGregor or attempt to coax the Irishman back to the Octagon early next year.
"Conor!!!!! 1/24/26"
The UFC calendar is currently only mapped out through UFC 320 on September 13. Chandler’s mention of an event on January 24 would more than likely be the promotion’s first PPV offering of 2026, as the UFC typically takes several weeks off from late December into early January.
McGregor's UFC Return Still Largely In Doubt
It’s unclear if Chandler has had any discussions with the UFC regarding a matchup with McGregor for next year, but “The Notorious” has been largely silent regarding any talk of a comeback fight as of late.
Following’s McGregor’s knockout-win over Eddie Alvarez to become a two-division UFC champion and his boxing match with Floyd Mayweather the following year, the Irishman challenged Khabib Nurmagomedov to try and reclaim the lightweight belt at UFC 229 but was submitted in the fourth round.
The 36-year-old returned more than two years later to defeat Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone in 40 seconds at UFC 246, but it’s now been nearly four years since McGregor last stepped into the Octagon for a trilogy bout with Dustin Poirier that saw the UFC star suffer his second loss in a row to “The Diamond” due to an injury at the end of the first round.
Follow MMAKnockout on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
More must-reads:
- Jerry Jones again proves he shouldn't be making decisions for Cowboys
- Jelena Ostapenko responds to racism allegations after post-match confrontation with Taylor Townsend
- The 'Most 1,000-rushing yard NFL seasons' quiz
Breaking News
Trending News
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
TODAY'S BEST
Packers' Jayden Reed has hard-hitting message after losing Kenny Clark
Kenny Clark was about to play his 10th NFL season with the Green Bay Packers, but that’s not going to materialize anymore following the shocking trade of linebacker Micah Parsons. Clark was acquired by the Dallas Cowboys along with a first-round pick in 2026 and another first-rounder in 2027 from the Packers in exchange for Parsons, who is taking his incredible defensive talents to Green Bay. Although Parsons’ addition to Green Bay is clearly a big win for the Packers, there is also something to be said about the departure of Clark from the team. He was a long-time fixture on Green Bay’s defense. He started his pro career with the Packers as a first-round pick (27th overall) in the 2016 NFL draft. A product of the UCLA Bruins football program, Clark recorded 35 sacks and earned three Pro Bowl nods during his tenure with Green Bay. Jayden Reed sends a message to Clark after Packers trade Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed has played in only two seasons so far with the team, but he clearly has high respect for Clark. Following Clark’s trade to the Cowboys, Reed, Green Bay’s receiving leader in 2024, shared a post via Instagram Stories. It shows a photo of Clark during a game against the Miami Dolphins, and added a text that read: “Da Realest!!!” Clark will be missed in Green Bay, but the Packers should be able to reap the rewards of winning the Micah Parsons sweepstakes, beginning in the coming 2025 NFL season.
Jelena Ostapenko responds to racism allegations after post-match confrontation with Taylor Townsend
Ranking U.S. Ryder Cup pairings by how much you would hate to play with them
If you're an avid golfer, you know the anxiety-inducing feeling of showing up to your local muni as a twosome on a busy Sunday afternoon. The twosome you get paired with can make or break your entire weekend. Since captain Keegan Bradley finalized the U.S. Ryder Cup roster on Wednesday, let's have some fun by ranking the three worst duos you would hate to be paired with on the golf course. 3. Cameron Young and Harris English Getting paired with Young and English would be a bore fest from the first tee to the 18th green. The introductory handshakes and the occasional "nice shot" would be the only interactions you get from them all day. You'll spend the entire round debating whether they're 25 or 45. At some point, you'll ask your buddy if they're even friends. Sure, it would be a treat to watch Young bomb majestic high draws 350 yards and English drain multiple 30-footers with ease, but that's where the fun would stop. The over/under for the number of smiles cracked between the two of them might be set at 2.5. 2. Collin Morikawa and Sam Burns Morikawa just doesn't seem like a good hang this year. From multiple quarrels with the media to a handful of caddie switches in the span of a few months, Morikawa has been too high-strung and paranoid in 2025. He'd be quick to blame you for a poor drive because you blinked too aggressively in his backswing. No thank you. Burns is on the other end of the spectrum in that he'll keep to himself and pretend not to know Morikawa very well. He'll throw out a "Sorry about him, he's having a tough year" to ease the tension, but his personality isn't bubbly enough to offset Morikawa's bad vibes. 1. Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele Cantlay would be the absolute worst-case scenario as a random pairing. You'd think his minute-long pitter-patter over the ball on the first tee was a one-time exercise to ease his nerves, but you quickly realize it's a steady feature of his pre-shot routine. Even though he's hitting the fewest shots, he's taking the longest time to hit them. The groups behind you start to pile up. At one point, the impatient union worker behind you hits into your group to send a message. Cantlay doesn't care. Five hours later, you finally finish up on 18. The group that was in front of you all day is already on their second beverage at the clubhouse bar. In an age when pace of play is just as important as your final score, Cantlay would be a nightmare pairing.
Chicago Bears face a harsh reality thanks to the Micah Parsons-Packers trade but the bright side is it's not permanent
The Chicago Bears, along with the rest of the NFC North, received some unwanted news Thursday night when the Green Bay Packers officially pulled off a trade for Micah Parsons. The all-world pass rusher is now a cheesehead through the 2029 season and will certainly be on the minds of the Bears and their divisional counterparts moving forward. The move sent ripples throughout the NFCN and the conference as a whole. For the Bears, specifically, it reminded them of a harsh reality: They're still a step away from becoming a playoff contender and the expectations for 2025 should simply be about progress before anything else. Bears have a ways to go before competing in the NFC North With all the additions made this offseason in Chicago, expectations undoubtedly rose to an even higher level, a dangerous game the Bears are used to playing. After this trade by the Packers, it’s clear the Bears still have a long way to go before being able to truly compete for an NFC North title. Now, let me be clear, it won’t take too much time to get to that level with a strong foundation in place. The future is very bright for the Bears and this team could easily be in a spot, next year, where playoffs are a realistic expectation. But when it comes to 2025, expectations should be lessened after seeing this move. Detroit, Minnesota, and Green Bay are primed to make some noise and a deep run in the NFC. Chicago still has a lot to prove to get out of the division basement. Caleb Williams has to prove he's the franchise quarterback the Bears believe him to be. The offensive line has to show it's not just improved on paper, but on the field, too. Allen faces the questions of re-proving himself as a defensive coordinator after several years of being a head coach. If he can pick up where he left off as a DC then the Bears have the talent of defense to be one of the NFL's best units. We still have to see that come to fruition, however, and we don't know if it will just yet. At the same time, Chicago has early measuring stick games in the first two weeks against Minnesota and Detroit to determine if the revamped team can hang with the top dogs. While a lot can change over the course of an NFL season, those two contests will say a lot about the state of the Bears and the direction they're headed. As for the matchups against Green Bay, the Bears won’t face its bitter rival and the team’s new weapon until Week 14, giving Chicago plenty of time to prepare. So, while the Bears still have a lot to prove, the key part is 2025 will give them all kinds of opportunities to do just that - answer questions. Packers trade for Micah Parsons overshadows all progress the Bears have made in the NFC North arms race The Chicago Bears have been the talk of the town in the NFC North the past few months and earned the title of “Offseason Champs” in the NFL once again. It’s a faux award fans are tired of hearing in Chicago - because the only thing that matters are results on the field. Even still, the progress the Bears made in the NFC North arms race this offseason has been impressive. By adding head coach Ben Johnson, the Bears locker room culture and offense took a complete 180 degree turn. On defense, Allen’s presence and new additions created a whole new aggressive mindset. But even with all the moves, the Parsons-to-Packers trade overshadows them all. It's simply because we're talking about one of the best players in the game who is still in his prime, regardless of position, and he just so happens to play one of the most important positions. Parsons is a true game-wrecker and his presence can take a bad defense and immediately make it a good one. That's how special he is. There's still plenty of reason for optimism in 2025 and beyond No one is saying this should take any excitement away from the Bears' current direction. The good news is if things go according to plan, they'll be right in the playoff mix in 2026. It's not a permanent or even short-term status, whatsoever. The arrow is pointing up in Chicago, but unfortunately it's even higher in Green Bay after the Parsons trade.
Trade Market Thin, But These Goalie Options Could Tempt the Oilers
With the Connor McDavid comments now 24 hours old, talk about the goaltending in Edmonton is front and center again. If McDavid is waiting for the team to acquire someone that makes him feel more comfortable about the Edmonton Oilers and the Stanley Cup chances, management better get looking. To find what they need, they may have to get creative before the trade deadline. Despite expectations of a more active market, there are surprisingly few viable options available for a team with Stanley Cup aspirations. While Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard held the fort last season, questions remain about whether the tandem can carry Edmonton through a deep playoff run. James Mirtle of The Athetlic writes, ideally, the Oilers would find a proven No. 1 goalie from a team that falters early and starts shedding assets. This would be similar to Boston’s situation last year. That scenario hasn’t materialized. What Teams Might Fit Into That Category? Detroit comes to mind first. They recently acquired John Gibson in a trade from the Anaheim Ducks, but they may or may not be a playoff team. If things go sideways early, they could eventually move one of their veterans. That means either flipping Gibson or trading Cam Talbot back to Edmonton. The other option, if the Oilers (or McDavid) think he’s a legitimate starter, is to try and acquire top prospect Sebastian Cossa. Mirtle thinks the Red Wings are more likely to stay in the playoff hunt. Should they miss, it won’t be known early in the season, making a deal unlikely. Other clubs, such as the New York Islanders or Utah Mammoth, could have expendable goalies if health cooperates, but none are clear upgrades. Mirtle specifically mentions Semyon Varlamov and Connor Ingram. He’s not sure either are an upgrade. High-end names like Thatcher Demko in Vancouver, Pittsburgh’s Tristan Jarry or Columbus’ Elvis Merzlikins could technically be had, but their inconsistency makes them risky bets. Mirtle writes, “We’re really reaching to even contemplate some of these options for a team with designs on winning a championship, so it feels like it’ll take something a bit unexpected for the Oilers to find what they’re looking for in the crease…” Unless an unexpected team collapses early or Edmonton parts with top-tier assets to pry loose a premium goalie, the Oilers may have no choice but to ride Skinner and Pickard again when the playoffs arrive — a scenario that could prove costly both in terms of a championship, and in terms of McDavid’s future.
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
