Conor McGregor: ‘Hard Not To Be Impressed’ By Michael Chandler
Conor McGregor has been impressed by Michael Chandler’s UFC run despite the fact the former Bellator champion has lost two of his first three fights with the promotion.
Chandler made the perfect start to life in the UFC when he knocked out Dan Hooker inside one round to secure himself at the lightweight title.
The 35-year-old dominated Charles Oliveira in the opening round of their 155lb scrap for the belt before getting caught flush and finished in the second frame.
Last time out, Chandler went to war with Justin Gaethje for three rounds in what appears to be the frontrunner for 2021’s Fight of the Year. Despite putting on another commendable performance, Chandler once again walked away without the win, this time by unanimous decision.
Despite the fact Chandler has a losing record in the UFC, he’s done enough to impress the biggest star in the sport. McGregor took to social media on Saturday and answered questions on a variety of topics including his lightweight rival.
“Hard not to be impressed,” McGregor wrote about Chandler. “In a game of inches he has been incredibly close each time! Could well be today’s champion.”
The Respect Is Mutual Between Conor McGregor & Michael Chandler
Chandler like every other fighter at lightweight wants to be the man to welcome McGregor back to the Octagon. However, unlike most, he has been pursuing a fight with ‘Notorious’ in a fairly respectful manner. He even defended McGregor against critics who have put him on blast for losing the majority of his recent fights.
“His mental awareness capacity and stability inside of the octagon, inside the confines of competition – especially with how heightened the stakes and the senses are, inside of his fights, while everybody in the entire world is watching – it’s something to behold, man,” Chandler said. “He’s a different level of competitor. And anybody who discredits him because he’s lost fights is just either a casual or a Conor hater, to be honest with you.”
Do you think we’ll see Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler next?
