Michael Chandler has a backup plan if he cannot get a fight with Conor McGregor.
Since making the move from Bellator to the UFC, Chandler has made it clear that he would love to eventually score a fight with McGregor, a bout which screams excitement.
These talks were reignited following his most recent loss to Dustin Poirierat UFC 281 in a wild fight that would ultimately see him succumb to a choke, with a growing sentiment among fans to see this exciting clash of lightweights.
Michael Chandler Open To Jorge Masvidal
As much as Michael Chandler wants to fight Conor McGregor, he knows there are a ton of potential obstacles that could stand in the way of that, namely the fact that the Irishman would need to re-enter the USADA testing pool before competing again. So, with that in mind, the former Bellator champ has been considering other options.
Speaking with ESPN’s Brett Okamoto, Chandler explained that if a McGregor fight doesn’t materialize, he is interested in moving up to welterweight for a brief moment. Specifically, he would want to face off with Jorge Masvidal, putting the iconic BMF belt up for grabs one more time.
“You tell me who the BMF is right now, in the UFC. You tell me who the BMF is, you tell me who the fans, if we did a poll right now of ‘Who’s the baddest mother-fudger in the UFC?’ I think I got a couple awards on my mantle right now, I think I’ll add a couple more… But that BMF belt sure would look good next to them,” Chandler said.
“Is it a fight I’ve really thought a ton about in the past? Not really. But daggum, tell me that wouldn’t get the juices flowing for the entire mixed martial arts world. Michael Chandler vs Jorge Masvidal for the BMF belt, the Rock walking in with it over his shoulder, and then handing it to me 15 minutes later.”
It is worth noting that UFC officials have confirmed in the time since The Rock put the BMF belt on Masvidal’s waist after his win over Nate Diaz that the BMF title might be up for grabs again if the right fight comes along.
That said, Michael Chandler does make for an interesting fight with Jorge Masvidal, provided things fall through with his rumored matchup with Gilbert Burns, whether there is a novelty belt on the line or not.
How does a fight between Michael Chandler and Jorge Masvidal go down?
Please provide transcription credit with a link to this article if you use any of these quotes.