Dan Hardy offers an interesting take on Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler at UFC 303.
Conor McGregor will return to UFC action for the first time in nearly 3 years. After suffering one of the most nastiest leg breaks MMA has seen at UFC 264 against Dustin Poirier.
UFC 303 on June 29 at the T-Mobile arena in Las Vegas will be headlined by McGregor vs Chandler. After both men competed against each other in popular reality tv show ‘The Ulimate Fighter’. As McGregor excluded himself from USADA the official drug testing system for the UFC. Mcgregor is looking for his second MMA win since 2016. As McGregor has 3 losses out of his last 4 fights. While Chandler holds a UFC record of 2 wins and 3 losses.
Dan Hardy Previews Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler
Dan Hardy the former UFC Welterweight title challenger and former UFC Commentator, Hardy believes that McGregor will structure how to work through it, he might even use it to gain a psychological edge. With Hardy also saying “I think it maybe potentially changes his approach, but I also think that he is going to be aware of that vulnerability and his high IQ is going to allow him to turn that into a positive. You might even see him leaving that leg out there as a target so he can then punish Chandler for attacking it. Even use its bait and the current PFL Commenter was recently on well known MMA Journalist Ariel Helwani podcast ‘The MMA Hour’ and stated “I Can’t underestimate McGregor ability.
He’s done very special things at very tense and high pressure moments in his career.” Dan Hardy also went on to say that “When you loom at him when he was fighting Eddie Alvarez, he throws a jab and hangs his hips back, to make it appear from Alvarez’s perspective, that he is at the length of his reach so Alaverz thinks he’s ok but then McGregor steps through and knocks him down, and that is a very high level operating system, and that is not something you lose hanging out on a yacht and enjoying your life, I still fee he has that refinement in his game.
Hardy also stated that “Michael Chandler is not the guy that he was in Bellator when he was cautious and picking his shots, that Chandler can beat anybody with that speed off the mark and that power”. Hardy also claims “Chandler comes in reckless. He’s coming I for a payday and a show; he’s not thinking I’m going to beat Conor McGregor and I’m going to do it this particular way, he’s coming to fight”.
Chandler vs. McGregor?
McGregor will by 15 days shy of his 36th birthday when the eventual fight takes place. With Chandler turning 38 in April. Both men have been extremely successful in their careers.
With McGregor holding a record of 22-6 with 19 KO/TKO’S and one submission win. Including knockouts over UFC Featherweight GOAT Jose Aldo, Eddie Alvarez, Chad Mendes and Dustin Poirier. With McGregor winning 3 UFC titles. The Interim UFC Featherweight title, Undisputed UFC Featherweight title and UFC Lightweight Title. McGregor also secured KO/TKO’S in all 3).
While also holding records such as the first UFC fighter to hold two belts at the same time in two different divisions (145 and 155). McGregor also has the fastest win in a UFC title fight that stands at 13 seconds against Jose Aldo. McGregor is also the first fighter to claim KO/TKO in 3 different divisions. Michael Chandler holds a record of 23-8. Claiming the Bellator Lightweight Champion on 3 separate occasions and is also a UFC Lightweight title challenger. Having wins over Tony Ferguson, Dan Hooker, Benson Henderson, Eddie Alvarez and Patricky Pitbull.
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