Chael Sonnen is just not satisfied that Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler will conflict in 2026. Whereas McGregor and Chandler have each confirmed on social media that they are going to lock horns when the UFC heads to the South Garden of the White Home subsequent 12 months, the promotion has not confirmed the identical, with CEO Dana White beforehand saying that the planning of the White Home card battle lineup will begin in February.
Chandler believes the battle will happen and has additionally revealed that McGregor has introduced in coaching companions to copy the previous’s battle model, which makes ‘Iron’ consider that the battle is confirmed. The Dubliner has vowed to dwell within the gymnasium, has been within the testing pool, and is reportedly set to be in a six-month battle camp forward of his much-anticipated UFC return.
Why is Chael Sonnen not satisfied that Conor McGregor is returning?
Chael Sonnen is just not satisfied that Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler will battle in 2026. In a latest YouTube video, Sonnen defined why.
Regardless of being impressed by McGregor’s latest training footage and believing McGregor nonetheless possesses velocity regardless of placing on weight, the UFC Corridor of Famer isn’t shopping for a 2026 Return. Fighters who discover the battle life troublesome, notably on the subject of making weight, retire earlier than stepping on the scales. Sonnen thinks it will likely be troublesome for McGregor to chop weight, and to make issues worse for him, UFC will desire a five-round battle to “get the minutes” out of their greatest star.
Though ‘The Infamous’ is coaching, Sonnen believes that importing coaching clips and self-promotion is just not a superb signal as a result of the UFC would undoubtedly use higher footage and clips to advertise him if he in the end fights subsequent 12 months.
Sonnen opines that Conor McGregor needs to maintain his “picture” as a fighter “alive,” and though the Dubliner is a battle promoter, a pub proprietor, and far more, he’s first a fighter; thus, preserving that picture alive is an important factor, as if it have been to die, he would additionally perish. However his attempting to maintain his picture as a fighter alive on his personal is just not a superb signal.
“Conor, the picture is a fighter. Not an actor, not a pub proprietor, not a bareknuckle promoter, he’s a fighter. The picture of Conor. And when a picture dies, the particular person can die…. In case you are Conor and you should maintain the picture alive, you do not need to place out coaching movies sideways from an iPhone of you in a dingy storage at 2 am. The UFC goes to place out the gorgeous, well-promoted movies, and they’ll do it in just a few months.”
The 48-year-old then added that he’s not satisfied of Conor McGregor’s return:
“The place does Conor go after a win over Chandler? The place does he go? It’s not normally the sort of match they might placed on. I believed Conor appeared good. I actually did. I don’t assume you possibly can look good even in a 20-second clip except there may be different exhausting work round it. And his physique appeared good; his muscle mass appeared good. His velocity was good. assume that he’s getting a bit of bit extra train than possibly we’re conscious of. Does it imply he’s going to battle? I’m not satisfied.”
Take a look at Chael Sonnen’s feedback about Conor McGregor beneath (9:40, 12:07):
