Michael Chandler leaves UFC fans perplexed with latest Conor McGregor callout

Now closing in on a year since their failed fight booking, Michael Chandler apparently still hasn’t given up hope of meeting Conor McGregor in the UFC.

The former Bellator champion coached opposite McGregor on The Ultimate Fighter: Season 31 back in 2023 with the expectation that the pair would fight after the season, but the matchup failed to materialize before the end of the year and was pushed to 2024.

“The Notorious” famously withdrew from their fight due to a broken toe shortly before UFC 303 last June, leaving Chandler to finally move on and meet Charles Oliveira in a rematch in November before he most recently took on Paddy Pimblett in the co-main event of UFC 314.

Michael Chandler (red gloves) fights against Paddy Pimblett (blue gloves) during UFC 314 at Kaseya Center. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Chandler Offers Date For McGregor Fight

Losses to Oliveira and Pimblett put Chandler on the second three-fight skid of his career, and this week “Iron” unexpectedly took to Threads to either tease plans for a fight with McGregor or attempt to coax the Irishman back to the Octagon early next year.

Michael Chandler took to Threads for his latest callout of Conor McGregor. | (Threads)

"Conor!!!!! 1/24/26"

The UFC calendar is currently only mapped out through UFC 320 on September 13. Chandler’s mention of an event on January 24 would more than likely be the promotion’s first PPV offering of 2026, as the UFC typically takes several weeks off from late December into early January.

McGregor's UFC Return Still Largely In Doubt

It’s unclear if Chandler has had any discussions with the UFC regarding a matchup with McGregor for next year, but “The Notorious” has been largely silent regarding any talk of a comeback fight as of late.

Following’s McGregor’s knockout-win over Eddie Alvarez to become a two-division UFC champion and his boxing match with Floyd Mayweather the following year, the Irishman challenged Khabib Nurmagomedov to try and reclaim the lightweight belt at UFC 229 but was submitted in the fourth round.

Conor McGregor is carried off a stretcher following an injury suffered against Dustin Poirier during UFC 264. — Conor McGregor is carried off a stretcher following an injury suffered against Dustin Poirier during UFC 264 at T-Mobile Arena. | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The 36-year-old returned more than two years later to defeat Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone in 40 seconds at UFC 246, but it’s now been nearly four years since McGregor last stepped into the Octagon for a trilogy bout with Dustin Poirier that saw the UFC star suffer his second loss in a row to “The Diamond” due to an injury at the end of the first round.

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