TUF 31 poster
The Ultimate Fighter: Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler, complete guide, where to watch and timings
This week, fans will witness an epic clash between Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler on The Ultimate Fighter. Season 31 of the popular show will feature a mix of seasoned fighters and up-and-coming prospects in the bantamweight and lightweight divisions, with both coaches eyeing a potential showdown later this year.
While McGregor and Chandler have both held world titles at 155 pounds, they seem to be bulking up for their anticipated encounter. Although an official announcement regarding the date and venue of their bout is yet to come, it is expected that it will be revealed during this season of The Ultimate Fighter. This will mark McGregor’s second appearance on the show, following his debut against Urijah Faber in 2015.
For fans in the UK, the season will be aired on BT Sport, with the first broadcast scheduled two days after its initial showing in the US. The episodes will air on BT Sport 3 at 10pm, followed by a replay on BT Sport 1 at 3am. BT Sport customers can also stream the show via the app at no additional cost. In the US, The Ultimate Fighter will be broadcast on ESPN and ESPN+ at 10pm Eastern Time, 7pm Pacific, and 8pm Central. TUF 31 will premiere live every Tuesday at 10 pm ET / 7 pm PT / 7:30 am IST.
The fighters featured on TUF 31 will consist of newcomers to the UFC and former fighters who were previously cut after struggling in their initial runs. There were controversies surrounding McGregor reportedly favoring his friends over competitors during the selection process, but he has denied these claims.
In addition to McGregor and Chandler, there are two of McGregor’s teammates on the show: Lee Hammond and Brad Katona. Katona is a former TUF winner and Brave CF champion, while Hammond, a 27-year-old amateur world champion, boasts a 5-0 professional record, including a victory in the Bellator cage.
As the season unfolds, fans can anticipate intense rivalries, dramatic fights, and the growing anticipation for the eventual clash between McGregor and Chandler. The Ultimate Fighter promises to deliver exciting moments and showcase the talent and determination of the next generation of fighters in the bantamweight and lightweight divisions.
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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