Conor McGregor is set to make his long-awaited return to the UFC against American star Michael Chandler.
The Notorious has been out of action since fracturing his tibia and fibula during his trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021.
McGregor is marking ten years as a UFC fighter in 2023 but it's been 23 months since fans have seen the Irishman in the Octagon and over three years have passed since his last win.
The extended absence from the sport is now McGregor's longest-ever period without an MMA bout.
The former lightweight champion is expected to be welcomed back at welterweight, with three-time Bellator 155lbs king Chandler bulking up for the bout to match McGregor's new physique.
A victory for McGregor would put him on a path to dethrone Brit star Leon Edwards if he hopes to become the first three-weight champion in UFC history.
READ MORE ON CONOR MCGREGOR
McGregor vs Chandler: Date and venue
As of yet, there has been no official date confirmed for when McGregor will return to the UFC.
But 'Notorious' got MMA fans excited when he confidently claimed to be facing Chandler at UFC 296 on December 16 during an interview with talkSPORT at Anthony Joshua's latest fight.
Following the conclusion of their Ultimate Fighter series, it was thought the UFC may make an official announcement about McGregor vs Chandler.
However, that didn't happen and ‘Iron’ remains unclear about when his next fight date is.
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“It's happening in December? I’m not holding my breath. But you know I’m ready,” Chandler said on ESPN’s “DC & RC.”
A delay in deciding the date has been that during his recovery period from his injury, McGregor has seriously bulked up but has not been drug tested by United States Anti-Doping.
USADA want McGregor to undergo six months of drug tests before he fights again, with ‘Mystic Mac’ arguing that he should only be required to complete two tests.
As of August 2023, he’s yet to re-enter USADA’s testing pool and has missed the cut-off point to fight by the end of this year.
A venue is also yet to be confirmed, but seven of McGregor's nine PPV bouts in UFC have come in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The other two were UFC 205 in Madison Square Garden, New York, and UFC 257 in Abu Dhabi for COVID-19 reasons in January 2021.
McGregor vs Chandler: TV channel and live stream
Details are yet to be confirmed but the action is expected to take place on TNT Sports Box Office in the UK.
Once pricing is confirmed, it can be purchased through the TNT Player, on TNT Sport’s website or their app, and then live streamed on mobile devices with the TNT Sports Box Office app for iOS and Android.
Should McGregor return to the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, coverage will likely begin at 1am on Sunday morning of fight weekend before the main event at around 5am.
talkSPORT.com will be running a live blog for all the latest news, round-by-round updates and reaction.
We will also bring you all the build-up from fight camp throughout the week for the best pre and post-fight coverage.
To tune in to talkSPORT or talkSPORT 2 through the website, click HERE for the live stream.
You can also listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.
McGregor vs Chandler: Fight card
More to follow
Main card
- Main Event: Conor McGregor vs Michael Chandler
McGregor vs Chandler: What has been said?
Chandler believes the UFC drug testing issue is a factor for the fight delay, but says McGregor’s love for his life of luxury is another reason their fight is yet to go ahead.
"That’s definitely one aspect of it, obviously,” he said.
“Is he training? I don’t know how much he’s training. We see him on boats more than we see him hitting bags.
"For me, you know I’m ready. You know I’m always staying in shape. I am 37 now so I’m trying to keep my diet a little bit more dialled in so I can stay a little bit more ripped, look like a professional athlete.”
The former three-time Bellator champion hasn’t given up hope that he’ll fight McGregor in 2023 but has come to accept that he may need to wait until next year.
Read More on talkSPORT
“If it could happen by the end of the year, that would be phenomenal,” Chandler concluded.
“But if it spills over into 2024, either way, the most exciting guy in the sport, myself, versus the biggest star in the sport, and the greatest comeback in combat sports history, people are going to tune in and we’re going to put butts on seats.”
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