Conor McGregor doesn’t appear to thoughts Michael Chandler shifting on from him.
On Friday, information broke that Chandler will rematch Charles Oliveira within the co-main occasion of UFC 309 in November. It’s a giant change for Chandler, who has spent the the higher a part of the previous two years pursuing a struggle with McGregor, however one Chandler mentioned got here right down to desirous to pursue the light-weight title and his perception {that a} bout with McGregor can nonetheless occur sooner or later. And apparently McGregor agrees.
On Friday night, McGregor, who earlier this yr grew to become an element proprietor of Naked Knuckle FC, was in attendance at BKFC 66 in Hollywood, FL, and after the occasion he spoke on the post-fight press convention, addressing the newest improvement in his UFC profession and saying {that a} struggle with Chandler continues to be doable.
“So far as Chandler rematching Oliveira, I’m pleased with the date,” McGregor mentioned. “It’s November. Possibly we are able to nonetheless do it after, in the event that they’re not going to line me up till December, possibly January or February, considered one of these dates. Possibly we are able to nonetheless do it. I’m only a bit out of the loop with it. All I can do is keep it up doing what I’m doing. I check below the testing administration, I prepare day by day, and that’s it. Let’s see what occurs. Hopefully all of it involves fruition.”
McGregor was scheduled to struggle this yr when he and Chandler had been set for the primary occasion for UFC 303 in June, till a toe harm compelled him out of the occasion. It was the newest setback for McGregor who has not competed since shattering his leg towards Dustin Poirier at UFC 264, and now UFC CEO Dana White insists “Infamous” is not going to return to motion till 2025.
However McGregor is uninterested in sitting on the sidelines. Whereas a struggle within the UFC appears unlikely this yr, the previous two-division champion advised a doable co-promotion between the UFC and BKFC to make sure he can get again into motion sooner quite than later.
“I’ve two fights left on my UFC contract,” McGregor mentioned. “My opponent that I used to be scheduled to struggle has rescheduled one other bout. I’d love possibly an exemption, or possibly a joint partnership, Naked Knuckle-UFC, just like McGregor Sports activities and Leisure and Mayweather Promotions. Some kind of settlement the place we are able to get busy. I should be busy and proper now I’m working to get there. So let’s see what occurs.”
Whereas the UFC is unlikely to grant McGregor’s request, the promotion does have a superb relationship with BKFC and has beforehand made exceptions for McGregor, most notably when he boxed Floyd Mayweather in 2017. But when it doesn’t occur and McGregor is solely compelled to proceed ready, nicely, he’s gotten loads of apply at that the previous few years.
“Like I mentioned, I’ve bought two fights left on the contract and it’s taking a minute,” McGregor mentioned. “However persistence is likely one of the most essential expertise a human being can possess, examine, be taught, and implement, and that’s the place I’m at proper now.”
