Adesanya says McGregor 'owes' Chandler a fight after years of waiting

Israel Adesanya has urged Conor McGregor to honour what he calls a debt to Michael Chandler, insisting the long-delayed matchup should serve as McGregor’s final fight in the UFC.

McGregor returned to the octagon at UFC 329 last Saturday for the first time since breaking his leg against Dustin Poirier in July 2021, only to suffer another leg injury just 69 seconds into his comeback bout against Max Holloway. Despite the setback, McGregor has stated his intention to recover and fulfil the remaining fight on his UFC contract.

Speaking on the Precision podcast alongside Demetrious Johnson, Adesanya reflected on the moment McGregor sat ringside after the stoppage. “I did see him when he was sitting down and he looked distraught,” Adesanya said. “He looked like, a lot of weight on him. He kind of picked at his glove for a second, so I thought, ‘Is he going to retire?’ I don’t think so, but a fight with Max again after a five-year layoff, you’re fighting at the top of the heap. You’re fighting one of the best to do it. That’s a hard fight to come back against.”

Adesanya was unequivocal about who McGregor should face next. “I say, if he does decide to come back later on, Chandler would be the only fight that makes sense,” he said. “He kind of owes Chandler that fight. He honeyd*cked him for, like, two, three years while Chandler was waiting for the big money fight.”

Chandler, a three-time Bellator lightweight champion, joined the UFC in 2021 and challenged Charles Oliveira for the vacant 155-pound title in just his second appearance for the promotion. After losses to Oliveira and Justin Gaethje, he turned his attention to McGregor, repeatedly calling for the fight across interviews and social media. The two were eventually cast as opposing coaches on Season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter, with a headline bout at UFC 303 in June 2024 the agreed destination — until a toe injury forced McGregor to withdraw. Chandler ultimately went two years without competing while waiting for the fight to materialise.

“After The Ultimate Fighter, after all those times, it would be good for them to kind of settle the score because they even have a little bit of — not beef, but they’ve got some heat there,” Adesanya added. “That would be the fight I think he should come back to.”

With McGregor’s recovery timetable still uncertain and questions remaining over his competitive level, the timing of any return — and the choice of opponent — remains unclear.