Conor McGregor is the most popular fighter in the UFC. This is why most fans are looking forward to his return to the Octagon after two years of inactivity, while he was recovering from the broken leg he suffered in his loss against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264.
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In the run-up to his return, he has been a coach in season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter, going head-to-head against opposing coach Michael Chandler. The two were originally slated to face each other in the UFC in December. But, recent developments have cast serious doubts on the match. For now, it seems, fans will have to make do with seeing them go against each other on the sets of TUF. And their recent ice bath challenge on the show was an entertaining affair.
Conor McGregor faces Michael Chandler in the ice bath challenge on TUF 31
After a forgettable season, where Team McGregor lost all bouts, except one against Team Chandler, the Irishman notched up an uncommon win against Chandler on the show. The two took each other on in an ice bath challenge, where both had to sit in a tub of ice water and answer trivia questions over three rounds. In the first round they were quizzed on the history of the UFC, in the second, the history of TUF, and in the final round answered questions about each other. ‘Notorious’ emerged victorious with a final score of 16-14 in his favour.
Following his victory, the Dubliner in characteristic Conor McGregor fashion mocked the American for being cold in the ice bath challenge. This made him concerned and made him contemplate seeking medical attention for the former Bellator champion. “We got into the ice bath and his jaw, it was rattling. He was absolutely shaking in the thing, I thought we were going to have to call an ambulance or something,” he said.
When will Notorious return and who will he face?
The first hurdle for McGregor is a USADA rule mandating fighters to enter its testing pool at least six months in advance before returning to the ring. McGregor has reportedly not joined the USADA pool, which means his return will be pushed back to at least early next year. However, the UFC can exempt its former two-division champion from the six-month rule. But, it is unclear whether the UFC will go that way, and how USADA will react to it.
There is also a chance that the two coaches may not actually face each other. Conor McGregor has recently called out newly-crowned BMF champion Justin Gaethje for a bout and even called on Nate Diaz for a rematch on Twitter. This has fans concerned that the whiskey baron may forego the Chandler bout for a more lucrative BMF clash against ‘The Highlight’. Who do you think should McGregor face on his return to the UFC? Let us know in the comments section below.
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