Under gårdagen avslöjade den tidigare dubbelmästaren Conor McGregor att han kommer att göra sin efterlängtade comeback 2024. Enligt McGregor själv kommer han att ta sig an den topprankade lättviktaren Michael Chandler under International Fight Week den 29 juni. Irländaren menar på att matchen kommer att äga rum i mellanvikt.
Det är ännu oklart om matchen verkligen kommer att äga rum i mellanvikt. UFC-chefen Dana White har vid ett flertal tillfällen uttryckt att han vill se McGregor tävla i lättvikt.
Conor McGregor har inte tävlat i UFC sedan förlusten mot UFC-stjärnan Dustin Poirier på UFC 264. Domaren tvingades att avbryta matchen i den första ronden efter att irländaren skadade benet. Sedan dess har MMA-fans världen över spekulerat kring när McGregor kommer att komma tillbaka till den världsledande MMA-organisationen. Chandler kommer senast från en förlust mot Poirier på UFC 281 förra året. Innan dess besegrade Chandler UFC-veteranen Tony Ferguson via knockout.
Flera ledande personer inom MMA-världen har reagerat på UFC-stjärnans video. Se reaktionerna nedan!
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) December 31, 2023
I always said I wanted you at your biggest, your baddest and your best. 185 would look good on me.
— Michael Chandler (@MikeChandlerMMA) December 31, 2023
Don’t forget who was a natural featherweight who started his UFC career fighting cherry-picked bantamweights.
— Michael Chandler (@MikeChandlerMMA) December 31, 2023
I gonna step in replacing chandler https://t.co/6YbC4tlCzc
— Paulo Costa (@BorrachinhaMMA) December 31, 2023
I gonna step in replacing chandler https://t.co/6YbC4tlCzc
— Paulo Costa (@BorrachinhaMMA) December 31, 2023
Middleweight makes no sense, I really hope that's not the case.
I love the McGregor-Chandler matchup, but a result there means nothing at 185 pounds. Get it somehow at 155 and we're talking. https://t.co/yjxuNOh46l
— Danny Segura (@dannyseguratv) December 31, 2023
Odds this fight actually happens AND 185lbs….? ? https://t.co/VgHve6LW66
— Brendan Schaub (@BrendanSchaub) December 31, 2023
If this happens at middleweight, @TheNotoriousMMA would join Diego Sanchez & Kenny Florian as only fighters in UFC history to fight in four weight classes (only Florian won in four).
Sanchez & Florian both started at 185 and went down. McGregor started at 145 and has escalated. https://t.co/6hZ6TYsZP2
— Mike Bohn (@MikeBohn) December 31, 2023
International Fight Week is in fact slated for June 29 in Vegas. First time that IFW will be in June. It’s usually that first or second Saturday in July.
McGregor wanted to fight at 300. He pushed hard for it. He was ready, I’m told. But after meeting with the brass last week…
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) December 31, 2023
Every fighters dream. No weight cut and a life changing future secure pay day. Congrats Michael chandler
— Brian BOOM Kelleher (@brianboom135) December 31, 2023
Just got off the phone with Michael Chandler (@MikeChandlerMMA). He watched Conor's announcement of their fight on June 29 with me on speaker.
He laughed as it played and (regarding the 185 stipulation) said, "Here we go. Any weight is good with me."
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) December 31, 2023
Conor Mcgregor: Breathes
Michael Chandler: Yessssssssssssssss
— Anatomy of a Fighter (@WillHarrisAOAF) December 31, 2023
3 years later and 2 weight classes up, what a deeply unserious fight https://t.co/6kysNvWHR2
— Jack Slack (@JackSlackMMA) December 31, 2023
Never made sense for Conor's return to be on UFC 300. 1) That's a big enough card anyway, they really don't need him. 2) That event will be stacked with multiple title bouts and UFC has been loath to let other champs share in the McGregor PPV point bonanza since UFC 205.
— Shaheen Al-Shatti (@shaunalshatti) December 31, 2023
Very telling the biggest sports announcement of the year from a global mega star came on X rather than Instagram (yup outta dah @elonmusk )
Also that laugh ? pic.twitter.com/cn4fv2Go2L
— Coach JK (@John_Kavanagh) December 31, 2023
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