Conor McGregor to face Michael Chandler, serve as ‘TUF’ coach

Conor McGregor’s return is set as the former UFC doubles champion is set to train against lightweight star Michael Chandler in the next season of The Ultimate Fighter before facing him in the Octagon.

UFC President Dana White announced McGregor and Chandler as coaches on social media on Saturday. No date or location has been announced for the fight between McGregor and Chandler, which is likely to take place at 170 pounds.

The 31st season of The Ultimate Fighter airs on ESPN and ESPN+ from May 30th to August 15th.

McGregor, who coached against Urijah Faber on the reality series in 2015, has not competed since breaking his leg in a fight with Dustin Poirier in July 2021. Chandler has been asking for a fight with McGregor for more than a year.

McGregor (22-6), a former UFC lightweight and featherweight champion, became the first fighter to simultaneously win two different weight class titles in the UFC. The Irish-born fighter has the fastest finish in UFC title fight history, a 13-second knockout of Jose Aldo for the featherweight belt in 2015, but the 34-year-old has lost twice in a row and three of his last four.

Chandler (23-8) is a former three-time Bellator lightweight champion. The Missouri native joined UFC as a free agent in 2021 and has already faced some of the best fighters in the promotion’s 155-pound division. Chandler, 36, lost to Poirier at UFC 281 in November, dropping three of four, adding a knockout-of-the-year win over Tony Ferguson in May.