The announcement of Conor McGregor making his comeback to the octagon has sent shockwaves through the MMA world, turning the community and news circuit upside down. Ever since the news broke that ‘The Notorious’ will be fighting Michael Chandler after coaching against him on ‘The Ultimate Fighter’, the MMA community has been buzzing with excitement.

With McGregor’s comeback generating noise, everyone is weighing in on McGregor vs. Chandler and giving their thoughts on the matchup. However, retired UFC fighter Ben Askren has voiced his hesitation with this decision, questioning the legitimacy of the fight. He has thrown a wrench into the works by doubting if the fight will even happen and what it would take for him to believe it’s for real.

Ben Askren is not sure of McGregor vs. Chandler

Ben Askren is against the idea of Michael Chandler being Conor McGregor’s first opponent after a long layoff and a devastating leg injury. He believes that the UFC should have gone with an ‘easier’ opponent for the Irishman’s comeback fight.

Furthermore, ‘Funky’ has serious doubts that this fight will even come to fruition, stating that he will only believe it when Conor McGregor enters the USADA pool and the fight becomes official. Until then, the announcement means nothing to him.

The 38-year-old wrote, “McGregor should’ve picked an easier fight and….. I’ll actually believe he is gonna fight when he gets in the USADA pool”.

Read more: Weight Class for Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler UFC Fight Gets Confirmed

And before ‘Funky’, even Joe Rogan had the same suggestion that Conor McGregor should start off slow once he comes back.

Joe Rogan advised a tune-up fight for Conor McGregor

During his appearance on Mike Tyson’s podcast ‘Hotboxin with Mike Tyson’, Joe Rogan stated that if Conor McGregor returns to the ring, he should steer clear of tough opponents. According to Rogan, ‘The Notorious’ needs to ease into the water and have a tune-up fight, just like boxers do after a long layoff. By doing so, he can get his feet wet and regain his confidence before taking on the big guns.

The UFC commentator stated, “To jump right into a Dustin Poirier(fight) or right into, you know, name it, Michael Chandler. Like, right into a guy, who’s like the lead of the elite.”

He continued, “I would say fight a guy who is a little below championship level, maybe a guy on the come-up. Who, like Conor, has an advantage over, but it’s still a competitive fight. Give him a test, but don’t put him in there…”

Only time will tell whether Michael Chandler will prove to be too much for Conor McGregor, or if Conor will silence the doubters and show that he still has what it takes. Regardless of the outcome, the fight between these two warriors is sure to be a real barnburner that fans won’t want to miss. After all, the king is finally returning to the ring, and this is the day everyone has been waiting for a really long time.

Do you agree with Joe Rogan’s opinion? Are you in the same camp as Ben Askren? Let us know in the comments below.

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