'Brilliant' Michael Chandler Praised For His Comments On The Conor McGregor – USADA Situation
Former UFC lightweight title challenger Michael Chandler is still willing to face Conor McGregor, regardless of his USADA absence.
Chandler is expected to face McGregor for his next UFC fight after coaching against each other on The Ultimate Fighter. The two lightweight stars were expected to face off in December, although those plans are off the table amidst McGregor’s USADA testing pool hiatus.
All fighters, including McGregor and Chandler, are required to be in the USADA testing pool for six months before being eligible to compete. As of this writing, McGregor remains out of the pool, pending an unprecedented waiver of the policy.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding McGregor’s planned Octagon return, Chandler claimed during a press conference at UFC 292 that he remains focused on facing the Irish star next. The competitive magnitude of the matchup, along with the expected big paycheck, are two reasons Chandler isn’t backing down.
Michael Chandler Given Credit For Stance On USADA/McGregor Issue
During a recent episode of the Weighing In podcast, Josh Thomson praised Chandler’s handling of McGregor’s ongoing USADA hiatus.
“The bottom line is this, Michael Chandler [was] brilliant,” Thomson said. “You were already setting the standard. You don’t care if he’s tested or not, and two, you’re making it public, so the UFC can always say ‘He didn’t care. We talked to him, he’s made it very public that he didn’t care if he was on steroids, we cannot be sued and we’re no longer liable for this anymore’.
“It’s brilliant by Michael Chandler. He wants the cash, he wants the money grab, that’s the fight to get. Whatever it takes to get it, that’s all he cares [about].”
Chandler hasn’t fought since a loss to Dustin Poirier last year at UFC 281. His last win came against Tony Ferguson by front kick knockout at UFC 274.
McGregor has been on the sidelines since a doctor’s stoppage loss to Poirier at UFC 264. As he’s recovered and rehabilitated from a serious leg injury, he hasn’t been in the USADA testing pool.
The anticipated McGregor vs. Chandler fight could be announced in the coming months, and Thomson loves how Chandler is approaching some of the controversies surrounding McGregor’s comeback.
Read Also: Conor McGregor Berates Inability To Make UFC Return In December: ‘I’m Being Kept From My Livelihood’
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