According to one longtime rival of Conor McGregor’s, Michael Chandler is owed a lot by the UFC for his lengthy stint on the sidelines.
By the time Chandler enters the Octagon again, it will have been two years since his most recent outing. The former Bellator champion started life on MMA’s biggest stage in rapid fashion, but that trend has certainly dipped in recent times.
That’s no doubt down to one man, “The Notorious” McGregor. His comeback was announced toward the start of 2023, with the Irishman confirmed to be coaching opposite Chandler on The Ultimate Fighter before their own clash inside the cage at the end of the season.
But the finale came and went, as did multiple rumored fight dates and an official booking at UFC 303 this past June. Chandler remained steadfast in his desire to wait for McGregor, in spite of plenty urging him to move on.
Finally, confirmation that the Dubliner won’t return until 2025 has seen Chandler accept a different assignment, running it back with former UFC lightweight kingpin Charles Oliveira at UFC 309 this November.
With that five-round rematch inside Madison Square Garden, Chandler has the chance to reignite his title ambitions, which took a hit when he was submitted by Dustin Poirier last time out in late 2022.
One man who has had his fair share of back and forth with McGregor, however, doesn’t think Chandler is getting enough for his troubles…
McGregor Rival Calls For Chandler To Be Financially Rewarded For Patience
During a recent interview with CanadaCasino.ca, former boxing champion Paulie Malignaggi gave his assessment of the situation between McGregor and Chandler.
Malignaggi has long had strong feelings when it comes to the former, with the pair having animosity between them stemming back to the release of sparring footage that appeared to show McGregor knocking “Magic Man” down in 2017.
The ex-boxer evidently has similar views on the UFC as he slammed the promotion for ‘underpaying’ its fighters. And because of that, he doesn’t expect Chandler to be getting the kind of compensation he believes “Iron” deserves.
“I’d love for Chandler to be financially rewarded for waiting but I doubt it. Who’s going to reward him? The UFC is run by the most selfish people. They underpay the fighters who fight — imagine how they treat the fighters who don’t,” Malignaggi said. “He should be compensated, but I’m not sure how they’d handle that. I think he deserves it, but he’s been waiting on the sidelines for this fight, and it’s just not going to happen for him.
“I feel for Chandler. Fighting is a tough way to make a living. It’s not easy. You get damaged, your best years pass by, and you can’t go back to reach the levels you want,” Malignaggi continued. “When you get to the point where your best years are behind you, you’d hope for a big payday to make the rest of your life more comfortable. This struggle is common in combat sports.”
While it remains to be seen whether Chandler will be getting anything additional for the ultimately unsuccessful wait he endured, perhaps he’s more likely to be given his targeted title shot in 2025 should he avenge his past loss to Oliveira come fight night at MSG later this year.
