MICHAEL CHANDLER has broken his silence following the emergence of a deadline for him to fight Conor McGregor this year – which he admits is going “down to the wire”.
The three-time Bellator lightweight champion is slated to welcome the UFC‘s poster boy back to the octagon later this year, although a date for their showdown hasn’t been announced.
Conor McGregor is set to return to the octagon later this yearSportsfile
The Notorious is set to return against Michael Chandler but the deadline for the fight to take place this year is fast approachingUFC / ESPN
INSTAGRAM@THENOTORIOUSMMAChandler admits he’s ‘nervous’ the blockbuster UFC showdown won’t come to fruition[/caption]
That’s because of McGregor’s absence from the United States Anti-Doping Agency’s testing pool – which he must be in for a minimum of six months before being eligible to compete.
It’s not yet known if the Irishman has re-entered the pool – which he must be in by the end of play on June 16 if he’s to return on the UFC‘s final pay-per-view card of the year in December.
And Chandler admits he’s concerned the fight may not come to fruition this year.
When asked if he’s ‘nervous’ the fight might not happen, he told TSN: “A little bit. But I think it’s actually five days [he has left to get in the pool].
“I asked Siri, ‘How many days until December 16?’ That’s 185 days [away]. We’re coming down to the wire here.”
McGregor, 34, was eyeing an exemption to the six-month testing pool requirement and raged at USADA when they doubled down on their ruling for returning fighters.
And Chandler is hoping Mystic Mac’s feud with USADA won’t scupper their much-hyped showdown.
Iron said: “We all know Conor’s MO. Conor is not afraid of a tussle with anything.
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“Whether it be the promoter, the fighter, the law, the governing bodies, or whatever it may be.
“He’s not afraid of a tussle. I wouldn’t say nervous, I would say [I’m] cautiously optimistic.
“And I would say that this fight is going to happen by the end of the year.
“Me and Conor are going to fight and the fans are going to enjoy it.”
Despite McGregor’s status in the USADA pool still being up in the air, Chandler remains optimistic he will lock horns with The Notorious.
APConor McGregor hasn’t set foot inside the octagon in nearly two years[/caption]
He said: “The latest I’ve heard is that things are getting close. We should, hopefully, finding out some information soon.
“I think once this show starts to come closer to the middle and to the end, we’re gonna find more of a solidified game plan and path moving forward.
“I think Conor will be in the USADA testing pool very soon. and I do think this fight happens before the end of the year.”
Former two-division champion McGregor hasn’t set foot inside the octagon since breaking his leg in his trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier in July 2021.
Chandler, meanwhile, was also last in action against former interim lightweight king Poirier – who submitted him in the third round of their UFC 281 showdown last November.