Conor McGregor’s delayed comeback has left the Irish UFC star in a rough state. Since snapping his leg against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in 2021, McGregor has been away from the Octagon. While he has recovered from the setback, his return fight against Michael Chandler has been facing numerous delays. Originally scheduled to clash after the TUF 31 season last year, the fight has yet to receive a confirmation from the UFC and CEO Dana White.

McGregor then stated on social media that he is aiming for a June return against Chandler, but the UFC boss hasn’t confirmed that plan either. As such, speaking to The Mac Life, ‘The Notorious’ revealed that the delays in receiving a date have caused him to “lose interest” in making his return to the UFC!

Conor McGregor struggling with Dana White and UFC ‘pushing back’ his return date

While he has yet to receive an update for his long-awaited UFC return, Conor McGregor has been busy with his other ventures, including the tour to promote his role in the upcoming movie, ‘Road House’.

But all is not well with the former ‘champ-champ’ as in a recent interview with The Mac Life, he revealed the impact his delayed return has caused on his mental state. He revealed, “I was hoping for a December date, then a January date, then it keeps getting pushed back, then I lose interest and stop training for a while. Not stop training, I’m always training, but stop full training and (start) drinking a little bit.”

His comments highlighted the pressure he has been under due to not receiving a concrete plan for his return from the UFC and Dana White. Nevertheless, McGregor is determined to make the most of his time away from the cage.

He went on to further state, “So I’m going to go back, regroup, get full tested, and get ready to rock. The date’s going to come and then I’ll be ready to rock”

While McGregor has hinted that he would be open to a fight in June against Michael Chandler at the UFC’s International Fight Week, so far, there have been no confirmations regarding the same from the UFC.

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As McGregor navigates the challenges of his hiatus, fans eagerly await updates on his comeback plans. But his opponent for the proposed return, Michael Chandler, has been targeted by the UFC lightweight champion for waiting too long for the Irishman’s return! 

Michael Chandler slammed by LW champion for ‘waiting’ for McGregor  

UFC lightweight king, Islam Makhachev recently shared his thoughts on how Michael Chandler’s image may have taken a hit due to the delayed Conor McGregor bout. Chandler, currently ranked no. 6 in the 155 lbs division last stepped into the Octagon in a ‘Fight of the Night’ clash against Dustin Poirier at UFC 281 in 2022, where he came up short against ‘The Diamond’.

He has since been on the sidelines as his proposed matchup with Conor McGregor has yet to receive an official confirmation after numerous delays. As such, speaking to MMA Junkie, Makhachev stated, “You know, honestly, I hope this happens, but in this situation, Chandler looks very bad. Because how many years has he been waiting for this fight?”

With McGregor’s return date still uncertain, Makhachev’s comments remind us of the challenges fighters face in navigating the complexities of matchmaking and the impact it can have on their careers.

Do you think Michael Chandler should stop waiting for Conor McGregor’s return and take on a different opponent? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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