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Conor McGregor hasn’t stepped foot inside of a UFC octagon in near two years.
But it sure seems like he hasn’t lost his “notorious” fighting spirit.
The Irishman is set to coach opposite fellow star Michael Chandler in season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter, culminating with a fight between the two.
The season is set to begin on May 31 and McGregor actually praised Chandler prior to the start of filming.
“I like Michael, we’re blokes,” McGregor said “I posed with him yesterday. I’ve got no issues with him at all. I think he’s a good fighter. Coaching against him, I’m interested to see his coaching style. He’s more of an athlete type of a guy than a technical martial artist. I know he’s got some skills in the wrestling department, and he’s got some skills overall. But as far as the small, finer details, I’m interested to see. I’m happy where I’m at. It will be an interesting one to go against him [on the show] before I go against him [in the fight].”
But he was still confident.
“I think I’m just going to slice through him. I think I’m a little too slicy for him than anyone else he’s fought. A little too snappy and whippy. I think I’ll slice through him,” said on his website “The Mac Life.”
It appears the heat has since ratcheted in the rivalry between the two.
The #TUF31 trailer has dropped.
Here’s the snippet of Conor McGregor shoving Michael Chandler in the face during a heated back-and-forth.
Thoughts, folks? pic.twitter.com/VnX8lso3T4
— Chisanga Malata (@Chisanga_Malata) May 10, 2023
The first video from the new season emerged on Wednesday and showed McGregor going nose-to-nose with Chandler before shoving him away.
Whatever love there was between McGregor and Chandler in the past now seems long gone. The duo should have a chance to settle their differences in the cage.
Though as of now, McGregor is still not back in USADA’s testing pool and would have to be in the pool for six months prior to fighting.