Conor McGregor not expected to make it to Michael Chandler fight — ‘He’s drinking too much, smoking all day’

Conor McGregor is supposed to fight Michael Chandler after they finish filming The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 31, but promotion president Dana White recently told the combat sports media that UFC still has “a lot of work to do” before putting pen to paper.

So what’s the holdup?

“They try to make the fight, but it’s not official now,” lightweight champion Islam Makhachev told “Weighing In” (transcribed by Middle Easy). “I don’t think Conor wants to fight with [Chandler] because he’s drinking too much, smoking all day and he just can’t. TUF makes some interesting thing, because everybody forget him. I don’t know when he fight last time.”

McGregor, who turns 35 in July, hasn’t competed since breaking his leg against longtime rival Dustin Poirier in the UFC 264 main event back in summer 2021. It was the second straight loss for the “Notorious” striker, who is just 1-3 as a UFC lightweight.

TUF 31 debuts May 30 on ESPN (more on that here).

“Why not?” the unbooked Makhachev said when asked if he would fight McGregor. “Some fighter have to be stupid for say not. It’s 100 percent big money fight. Now everybody know he’s not in shape. Ass beating, make money, be happy.”

Based on this recent report, it sounds like McGregor may be a little too happy.