Michael Chandler was left out to dry by Conor McGregor when the latter pulled out of their UFC 303 meeting.
Chandler, not one to sit idle, has been actively engaging with fans on social media since the McGregor fight was called off. He’s even proposed an exciting idea for his next bout if McGregor isn’t ready by September for Noche UFC in Las Vegas.
After a fan insisted McGregor fight Nate Diaz after defeating and retiring Chandler when the two ultimately meet, the latter replied with his own suggestion, suggesting he should face Diaz.
This suggestion is an excellent idea for Chandler and the UFC for so many reasons.
It is tough to count on McGregor to be consistently available at this stage of his life and career. Without him as an option at the top of a card, the UFC has to find other matchups and stars to showcase.
Chandler’s public profile has increased because of his association with McGregor, but he needs a legendary dance partner to have a shot at fighting on the main card at Noche UFC.
If there is any doubt about how big of a star Diaz is at this point in his career, look no further than the Stockton, California native’s boxing match against Jorge Masvidal on July 5.
The event drew more than 18,000 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, and my recap has been viewed by 300,000 people.
Diaz moves the needle and he presents Chandler with the perfect combination of star power and fan-friendly fighting style required to justify a main-card spot at Noche UFC in Las Vegas.
You get the feeling Chandler is ready to go to war in an exciting stand-up battle. Diaz would be a willing participant in the kind of fight that builds legends.
While Diaz is one of the most gifted Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners in the sport, his boxing has long been one of the most-praised areas of his MMA bag.
Diaz doesn’t pack a huge punch, but he never stops throwing shots, which is exciting for fans–and it is what won his his fight against Masvidal. Diaz and Masvidal put on an excellent show for fans, and it makes sense for us to expect to see something similar if Chandler gets his wish in the Sphere.
It will take a massive payday from the UFC to lure Diaz back into the Octagon after making top dollars from boxing matches with Masvidal and Jake Paul.
However, after his win over Masvidal, Diaz did express an interest in returning to the Octagon to challenge current welterweight champion Leon Edwards to a rematch for his UFC title.
Edwards defeated Diaz by unanimous decision in June 2021. Perhaps if Diaz could defeat Chandler, it would put the former in a position to challenge Edwards or for a rubber match against McGregor after they split their first two meetings.
Chandler could get his shot at a legendary opponent and secure a handsome payday if he fights Diaz. If he wins, a fight with McGregor should still be on the table.
I don’t know if Chandler was throwing out a wild suggestion, but it’s one that fans and the MMA community could get behind.
