Conor McGregor receives chilling warning

Michael Chandler is extremely confident ahead of his upcoming clash with Conor McGregor. The American believes he will stop the Irishman in the second round and has warned his adversary that he will ‘feel his presence early’.

Last week, UFC president Dana White confirmed that McGregor will be making his long-awaited return to the Octagon this year against Chandler. No date or venue has been confirmed as of yet.

However, the pair are nailed on to square off against each other as coaches first on the next season of the Ultimate Fighter. Chandler is relishing the challenge and is looking to make a statement when they eventually get their hands on each other for real.

“Conor and I both start extremely fast,” Chandler told ESPN. “That cage door closes, Bruce Buffer announces us, that bell dings and we both try to meet in the centre of the octagon trying to make the other guy take a backwards step first.

“Conor more in a larger, wider, take-up-more-space stance, to kind of project that domineering spirit of himself. Me more like a missile coming at you, making you feel my presence right away, I want to get my hands on you.”

“If he lands one on the button, it’s going to be a rough night for me. If I land one on the button, it’s going to be a rough night for him, but which one of us can do it?” Chandler added. “I’m going to get in his face, make him take a backwards step right away. He’s going to feel my presence from the very beginning of the fight and then from there wherever the fight takes us.

“If I want to pick him up and put him down, I can pick him up and put him down and put a beating on him and get a submission that way. I believe I finish Conor in the second round. That’s my ‘Mystic Mike’ take on this, later on this year whenever it is.”

McGregor and Chandler are currently enduring barren runs in the UFC with both men only able to record one win from their last four fights. Chandler’s only recent victory came against an ageing Tony Ferguson while McGregor is without one since January 2020 when he beat Donal Cerrone via first-round TKO.

It is understood that McGregor vs Chandler will be fought over five rounds at welterweight. Chandler has not fought at 170lb since the first couple of years of his 14-year stint as a professional. — Express Sport.