Michael Chandler believes fight with Conor McGregor can smash all time PPV buyrate record in UFC history

Ahead of his expected Octagon return against former two-weight champion, Conor McGregor later this year – #5 lightweight contender, Michael Chandler believes he and the Dubliner can smash the all time UFC pay-per-view sales record – leapfrogging the former’s 2018 battle with Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Chandler, the current #5 rated lightweight challenger and a one-time vacant lightweight title challenger – most recently featured on the main card of UFC 281 back in November at Madison Square Garden, suffering a rear-naked choke loss to Dustin Poirier.

Himself also facing former interim gold holder, Poirier back in July 2021, McGregor suffered a fractured left tibia and fibula in a first round doctor’s stoppage TKO loss to the Lafayette native in their UFC 264 trilogy rubber match.

Wrapping up filming on The Ultimate Fighter 31 earlier this month, Michael Chandler and Conor McGregor are expected to fight later this annum, with a September showdown briefly floated, however, the promotion are yet to determine a date or event for the expected welterweight fight.

Michael Chandler believes fight with Conor McGregor will smash pay-per-view records

Sharing his thoughts on the earmarked bout with Crumlin native, McGregor, Chandler claimed he and the 34-year-old former lightweight and featherweight champion could break the UFC’s pay-per-view buyrate record.

“If you look at the numbers, I think two million [pay-per-view buys] – it’s not just a possibility, I think it’s very acheviebale and very attainable,” Michael Chandler said on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani. “It’s hard for me toot my own horn, but I think what I’ve created is a level of intrigue and mystique that, when is how up on fight night and that cage door closes, all hell breaks loose. …”

“So, you look at why this fight got made – Conor (McGregor) knows it’s going to do big numbers… Everybody is turning in, everybody is buying the pay-per-view for that night, that moment, that opportunity. The build up and lead-up to this thing, [it] could be the biggest pay-per-view that we’ve ever seen. Obviously I am a wishful thinking, [but] I have confident expectancy for myself to show up and build this thing. Conor knows how to build things, so, we’re about to have a blast.” [Transcribed by Yahoo! Sports]