Ben Askren of United States celebrates after defeating Agilan Thani of Malaysia in the welterweight world championship bout during the One Championship Dynasty of Heroes at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on May 26, 2017 in Singapore. (Photo by Suhaimi Abdullah/Getty Images)
Ben Askren Casts Doubt on Conor McGregor’s Return to Elite Status in Sensational Showdown Against Michael Chandler
Former MMA fighter Ben Askren expresses grave concerns about Conor McGregor’s return to the octagon as the much-anticipated UFC bout between McGregor and Michael Chandler approaches in late 2023. McGregor, who sustained a devastating leg injury in back-to-back defeats to Dustin Poirier in July 2021, will be out of action for more than two years by the time he returns to the cage.
Askren, known for his forthrightness, questions not only which iteration of the former two-division champion will appear, but also whether the fight will even take place. Askren discussed McGregor’s lack of training videos and his seemingly carefree lifestyle on the Funky & The Champ programme. He stated:
“Every video I see, he’s partying, he’s dancing, he’s drinking. I don’t know. Is this guy taking it seriously anymore? And listen, he’s rich. He can do whatever he wants, apparently. But we also don’t have to consider him a really elite fighter, and he needs to prove that to us again.”
Expressing his skepticism about McGregor’s commitment to fighting regularly, Askren remarked, “I am not under the belief that Conor McGregor is ever going to fight regularly… He’s fought four times in six years. Why would he fight three or four times in one year? That’s crazy talk. And I’m not even convinced he’s [going to actually end up] fighting Michael Chandler.”
McGregor, who gained worldwide fame as the UFC’s first simultaneous two-division champion in 2016, has been relatively absent from the sport since then. While he has achieved great success in his business ventures, including the sale of his majority stake in Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey, his in-cage performances have faltered. Askren questions whether the McGregor who once dominated the sport will ever return.
While Askren acknowledges the possibility of Chandler defeating McGregor, he also notes the unpredictable nature of Chandler’s fights. This opens the door for McGregor to potentially seize a victory. The outcome of this high-stakes clash could have significant implications, including a shot at a title for the victor.
Eddie Alvarez, a former UFC Lightweight Champion, has provided Michael Chandler with advice on how to defeat Conor McGregor. UFC President Dana White would like to schedule McGregor vs. Chandler before the end of the year, but there is currently no set date for the fight. McGregor has resolved his issues with the USADA and will soon return to the testing pool.
According to Alvarez, Chandler should try to grapple with the “Notorious” one early in their fight, as he stated in an interview with ESPN.
“Mike Chandler is a hell of an athlete,” Alvarez told ESPN. “I just think stylistically, the way he’s been fighting and the strategy he’s been going about fighting isn’t the way to get it done against Conor McGregor. And I would implore him if I was his coach to change his style, to go for single legs, to go for shots, and force Conor to wrestle early.”
“You have to force him to wrestle early so he don’t have the powerful tools that he’s able to take advantage of (against) all these other guys – quick feet, good range, great striking. You take that away when you wrestle him early. Wrestle him early enough and tire his shoulders down, tire his legs down, slow him down, and he’s half the striker that he can be when he’s fully energized.”
For better or worse, Chandler sometimes forgoes his wrestling in favour of standup. To what extent he chooses to engage in a grappling match with McGregor in an effort to tire him out and ultimately finish him remains to be seen. He could even try to attack with leg kicks.
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