The UFC’s very own poster boy, “The Notorious” Conor McGregor, has teased a return to the octagon for quite some time now. The wait is finally over, as the Irishman treated his fans with a massive announcement on New Year’s Eve. Aside from revealing the date of his comeback, McGregor also marked his opponent. Even more interesting is his choice of the weight class.
“The Notorious” will face off against Michael Chandler during International Fight Week on June 29th.
“[…] And the weight, Mr. Chandler, 185 pounds.” Not long after McGregor announced this on social media, prominent MMA reporter Brett Okamoto called the choice of weight class “a little absurd,” albeit, with a bold sidenote.
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Brett Okamoto dispenses with his initial astonishment; claims, “It’s Conor McGregor’s world, man!”
In a recent episode of DC & RC, Brett Okomoto joined Daniel Cormier and Ryan Clark to discuss McGregor’s big announcement. Okamoto stated, “I do not think that fight will take place at 185 because it’s just … it is a little absurd. […] I mean, we know he’s been out of the USADA pool and that was a big deal, you know, and Hunter Campbell is demanding that you apologize to him publicly.”
Nevertheless, he acknowledged that McGregor has the power to call the shots, saying, “But it’s Conor McGregor’s world, man! It really is Conor McGregor’s world and if he really sticks to his guns and says, ‘This fight has to happen at 185,’ then I wager to say that it will happen at 185.”
“I think they [UFC] are going to want that fight to have a little bit more meaning than just seeing two really bloated big guys come into 185 real stiff, you know, Brock Lesnar-looking dudes,” reasoned Okomoto, implying that the UFC hopes to make the fight have higher stakes, potentially setting the winner up with a title shot.
However, he understands that McGregor is the one who calls the shots now and believes that the fight will take place in the weight class McGregor wishes for. However, is McGregor playing into Chandler’s hands? After all, he did challenge McGregor to come at him “at your biggest.”
Michael Chandler responds to the Irishman’s announcement
Michael Chandler has been quite vocal about his frustration of not getting a fight against Conor McGregor on social media. Now that the Irishman has announced his return at International Fight Week in Las Vegas, Iron Mike couldn’t be more happy.
Chandler responded to the announcement by tweeting, “I always said I wanted you at your biggest, your baddest and your best. 185 would look good on me.” Chandler doesn’t seem bothered about the fight being in a weight class where he’s never fought before.
Given that both fighters have fought welterweight at max—that too briefly—do you believe that the MMA veterans will remain nimble, come June 29th? Will the fight even be in the middleweight class? Or is it just a ploy of “The Notorious” to get inside Michael Chandler’s head? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
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Joyita Das