“A lot of times when you get to that level of fame and money, it f–ks everything up. That’s never happened with me and Conor (McGregor), we’ve always been solid. He’s a good businessman, he’s a smart kid, he knows what he is doing.” Dana White said this a couple of years ago about Conor McGregor. But if you ask him now? Oh boy, that quote has aged like milk left out in the sun.
Michael Chandler, however, is done playing nice. The man has been patient, he’s been respectful, but at this point? He’s just calling it like it is. “He knows his road back to the UFC goes through me,” Chandler said talking to The Schmo. “We have to finish The Ultimate Fighter 31. We still have a contract with both of our names on it. Even though he was not a man of his word in showing up.” And there it is. The moment Chandler flat-out calls McGregor unreliable. Because let’s face it, when has McGregor ever pulled out of a fight before? Never before UFC 303 right? And of all people, he did it to Chandler. And ‘Iron Mike’ is not letting it slide.
Chandler didn’t stop there. He made sure the world knew exactly what was at stake. “I don’t think he wants that to be his legacy,” he added, probably trying to convince himself just as much as the audience. Is ‘The Notorious’ going to let his final chapter be about backing out, ducking fights, and running for office?
While McGregor is busy making surprise visits and talking politics, Chandler is too locked in on actual training camps to keep up. “Yeah, I didn’t know he was in South Florida. Didn’t know he was at Bare Knuckle, didn’t know any of that stuff. Obviously, I’m covered up in training camp.” And by training camp, he means prepping for UFC 314 against Paddy Pimblett.
Irish mixed martial artist Conor McGregor speaks briefly to the media in the White House Press briefing Room in Washington, DC, on Monday, March 17, 2025. McGregor said he was meeting with President Trump later in the day.
And then there’s the part about political ambitions. “He’s making that push for the President of Ireland,” Chandler said, somewhere between amused and skeptical. “We’ll see how true it is, how real it is, or how much of a publicity stunt it is.” And that’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it? Is McGregor really about to trade the Octagon for a political podium? Or is this just another headline in the never-ending saga of ‘The Notorious’?
Is Conor McGregor’s retirement just a smoke screen or the real deal?
So, the Irishman might actually be done fighting. At a BKFC event, he practically handed us the retirement speech. “Last week something happened to me, I went to the White House and my heart bleeds for my country right now. So there’s a lot of stuff going on back home, I’m happy with what I’ve done.” That’s something you say when you’re moving on, right?
And if that’s not enough to convince you. Wait up, there’s more. McGregor hasn’t been drug tested in 2025. His name is missing from the latest UFC anti-doping test records. Meanwhile, 637 other fighters have been tested this year. If he was serious about coming back, wouldn’t he act like it? Chandler is training, Chandler is fighting. McGregor? He’s dodging tests and talking about how a presidential campaign is ‘calling’ him.
But don’t worry, he’s still getting fight offers! He revealed that someone wanted him to fight at Alcatraz. Yes, the prison. “As a fighter, we’ve got to know our worth. I hold every pay-per-view record in the book, I hold every gate record in the book.” Meaning the money wasn’t right, so he passed. But if Conor McGregor really wanted to fight, he’d be fighting.
So, if things go the way he wants to, and McGregor wins the presidency, he’s locked in for a seven-year term. If he actually waits until after that to fight again, we’re talking a 11-year gap from MMA. Do you really think he’s making a comeback after more than a decade away? Maybe he really will run a country and throw hands in the Octagon at the same time. Rules? McGregor’s never cared for those. He’ll be ‘The Notorious President of Ireland,’ making history as the first world leader to cut weight for a title fight between press conferences. Sounds ridiculous? Well, so does half the stuff he’s already pulled off, so who’s to say?
So, what now? Is Chandler wasting his breath, hoping for a fight that may never happen? Dana White has already stopped pretending McGregor’s return is on the horizon. But if he ever does return, Chandler will be waiting. So, what do you think? Will McGregor be stepping into the Octagon as a fighter? Or will he be Mr. President taking one last victory lap? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
The post “I Don’t Think He Wants That to Be His Legacy” — Conor McGregor’s UFC Retirement Buzz Leaves Michael Chandler Frustrated appeared first on EssentiallySports.