Adesanya says Chandler is the right opponent for McGregor's next comeback

Conor McGregor (37, Ireland) suffered a self-inflicted injury and was stopped by TKO in his long-awaited comeback fight after five years away. Now, with the Irishman facing another rehabilitation period, former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya has recommended Michael Chandler as the ideal opponent for McGregor's next return.

Speaking on his podcast "Precision" on Monday, Adesanya said "if McGregor decides to come back later, a fight with Chandler is the only one that makes sense," adding that "McGregor has an obligation to fight Chandler, who has been waiting two to three years for that big fight."

Chandler was originally set to be McGregor's comeback opponent. The rivalry took shape the previous year when the two served as opposing coaches on UFC reality show The Ultimate Fighter season 31. They were scheduled to meet in a welterweight main event at UFC 303 in June of the following year, but McGregor was forced out with a toe injury. The bout was postponed and ultimately canceled.

When McGregor signaled his intention to return late last year and a UFC White House event was confirmed in June, talk of the matchup resurfaced — but it again fell through. McGregor returned at a July event instead, while Chandler received a measure of consolation by being selected for the high-profile White House card. Their long-anticipated clash appeared to be dead in the water.

But with McGregor — once a transcendent box-office star — now brought back down to earth, the prospect of the two meeting is gaining traction again. The argument is that they are now at a comparable level, and that McGregor, for the sake of a soft landing, should not be matched against anyone more dangerous.

At UFC 329 on Sunday, McGregor slipped and crashed to the canvas while attempting a flying switch kick against Max Holloway. Holloway paused his ground-and-pound to let McGregor rise, but McGregor shook his head and quit, signaling serious trouble with his knee. The fight was over just 66 seconds in.

The combat sports community has been sharply critical, with many saying McGregor has become injury-prone and that his best days are behind him. His previous outing, at UFC 264 in July 2021, also ended in defeat when he suffered a left leg injury against Dustin Poirier.

Holloway evened their series at one win apiece, avenging his earlier loss to McGregor. Perhaps sensing the unsatisfying nature of the finish, he called for a third fight during his in-cage interview. However, with critics noting that Holloway proved too much for McGregor even in a comeback fight, an immediate trilogy bout is seen as unlikely.

That is precisely why Chandler makes more sense as an opponent, Adesanya argued. Chandler, who spent years waiting for McGregor, has since turned 40 and suffered a first-round TKO loss to Mauricio Ruffy at the UFC White House event, extending his losing streak to four. McGregor has now lost three straight. It would be a redemption fight between two fighters on the slide.

Adesanya said "after all the trash talk since The Ultimate Fighter, it would be good for them to finally settle it properly," adding, "that's why I think that fight is the one McGregor should take in his next comeback."

McGregor announced on social media that he is set to undergo surgery for the injury sustained at the event, while also making clear his intention to fight again. When exactly that return might come, however, remains uncertain.