Conor McGregor vs Michael Chandler questioned as UFC commentator hints at a far bigger showdown

Conor McGregor vs Michael Chandler is arguably one of the most anticipated fights over the past few years in the UFC. Interestingly, it’s not because of an underlying rivalry between the two, but because the fight was actually announced to take place back in 2024 but failed to come to fruition.

Moreover, what adds to the anticipation is the fact that McGregor has been out of action since 2021. The Irishman suffered a broken foot against Dustin Poirier in their trilogy bout and was ruled out of action because of it. That said, with that in the past, it looks like McGregor and Chandler will finally lock horns inside the octagon at UFC’s White House event in June 2026. However, Jon Anik, a UFC commentator has given his thoughts on the same and he’s seemingly not a big fan of this fight.

Jon Anik wants Conor McGregor to revisit old rivalry instead of fighting Michael Chandler

Conor McGregor has had some of the biggest rivalries the UFC has ever seen. His rivalries against the likes of Dustin Poirier, Khabib Nurmagomedov and Nate Diaz weren’t just fierce, they helped transcend the sport and made it bigger.

With McGregor’s next fight potentially being against Michael Chandler, some feel that there’s a lack of story backing the fight. Riding on the same wave is Jon Anik. The UFC commentator feels a much bigger fight could be made for McGregor’s return.

During an appearance on The Jaxxon Podcast, Anik spoke about McGregor’s return and suggested that the UFC should get him to fight Nate Diaz instead. He said: “That fight does nothing for me. That matchup to me, is not a bout of consequence in the lightweight division. They’ll probably fight at 170. I just would rather see Conor fight Nate Diaz.”


It’s safe to say that Anik’s assessment is not entirely wrong. That said, it remains to be seen who McGregor fights upon his return to the octagon.

Conor McGregor should look to settle the score against Nate Diaz

Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz have locked horns twice in the past. Their first fight took place at UFC 196 in March 2016 and proved to be one of the biggest upsets in UFC at the time. Diaz managed to hand the Irishman his first loss in the UFC after submitting him in the second round.

Just a few months later, the two fought again at UFC 202 in August 2016. This time around, McGregor managed to even the score and secured a decision victory. Since then, there has been a lot of noise surrounding a potential trilogy fight between the two.

However, with Diaz out of the UFC, it looks unlikely that they will cross paths again. But if they do, it will most certainly set out to be a bigger fight than McGregor vs Chandler.


Also Read: Michael Chandler teases fans with possible bout against Conor McGregor on UFC White House Card in June 2026