“Surprise Surprise! The King is back!” The exact words from Las Vegas on the night of August 20, 2016 ring true again with Conor McGregor’s blockbuster X reveal. A day after teasing “The Greatest Comeback in Sports History”, ‘The Notorious’ finally ended the suspense around his UFC return date. venue, and weight class. He even received a positive reply from Michael Chandler. It is one that ‘Iron’ has remained firm on right from the latter half of 2023. 

On New Year’s Eve, Conor McGregor took to X and held a glass of wine as he revealed the date and location for his return to the octagon. The UFC’s first simultaneous double champion said, “Ladies and gentlemen. A happy new year to you all. I’d like to announce the return day for myself ‘The Notorious’ Conor McGregor for the greatest comeback of all time will take place in Las Vegas for International Fight Week on June 29th… And the opponent, Michael Chandler, and the weight Mr Chandler. 185 pounds.” 

Michael Chandler responded with a tweet of his own, “I always said I wanted you at your biggest, your worst and your best. 185 would look good on me.”

This is something ‘Iron’ Michael Chandler has been steadfast on while he patiently waited for a dance with the UFC’s biggest cash cow. 

Michael Chandler seems to have gotten his wish of an easy weight-cut

In September, when a fan account shared a picture of Conor McGregor with the words “170?”, he replied “185.” Michael Chandler’s response to the same indicated that he would be on board to share the cage with the Irish fighter at middleweight. He had tweeted, “185 would be great…finally an easy cut after 22 years of hard weight cutting. #seeyousoon.”

Michael Chandler, a perennial lightweight (155 lbs) has competed at 165 thrice, 170 once, and 160 once. A bout at 185 could see him bulk up and not have to drain himself for the Friday morning weigh-ins.

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Should the fight go ahead, Conor McGregor will have a home-field advantage. However, Michael Chandler will look to back his words from his debut UFC fight where he had said, “Surprise Surprise, there’s a new King in the lightweight division.” What better way to announce his arrival in Vegas than to dethrone the self-proclaimed king at the very venue he crowned himself.

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Las Vegas will be a big deal for both fighters

The location is quite telling for both fighters. Michael Chandler will make his first professional fight in ‘The Fight Capital of the World’. His previous UFC bouts have come at Abu Dhabi (UFC 257), New York (UFC 268, UFC 281), Phoenix (UFC 274), and Houston (UFC 262). Even before the UFC, Chandler did not have a single Bellator fight in ‘Sin City’. Also, his three fights before Bellator did not take place in Las Vegas.

This is a significant venue for Conor McGregor as well. The June 29 fight will see the Irish fighter resume his combat career in the same city where he suffered a horrific leg break.

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The incident in 2021 saw Conor McGregor’s leg snap at the end of round 1 of his trilogy against Dustin Poirier. Las Vegas is also where ‘The Notorious’ slept Jose Aldo in 0:13 seconds. 

It remains to be seen if/when the UFC officially announces the McGregor vs Chandler bout at 185. The fighters, however, seem ready and fight fans can ring in the new year with the news that Conor McGregor will be back.

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