Conor McGregor is aiming for a showdown with Michael Chandler in his UFC return in 2024, despite concerns about his recovery from a broken leg, with commentator Joe Rogan suggesting he should have a tune-up fight first due to the severity of his injury and extended absence from the sport.
Conor McGregor is eyeing a showdown with Michael Chandler. He’s planning his UFC return in 2024, despite a devastating broken leg in his last match.
The former two-division UFC champion has had a rollercoaster few years. His boxing match with Floyd Mayweather in 2017 and his clash with Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2018 were huge. Since then, McGregor’s MMA record is 1-2. He’s been out of action for two years after breaking his leg in a trilogy fight against Dustin Poirier in 2021.
Joe Rogan, UFC color commentator, is skeptical. He wonders if McGregor can ever return to his former glory, given the severity of his injury. “No one comes back from that,” Rogan said on his podcast. He pointed out that not a single athlete has managed to come back from such a catastrophic leg break and perform at the same level.
During his hiatus, McGregor left the UFC’s anti-doping program. This led to speculation that he might have used performance-enhancing drugs to aid his recovery. Now, as he preps for his comeback, McGregor is back in the testing pool managed by USADA. Rogan, however, wouldn’t mind if McGregor did use something illegal to recover, if it helped him overcome such a devastating injury.
Rogan is all for athletes using substances to recover from injuries. “I certainly support guys taking things to recover from injuries like Conor did with his leg injury,” he said. He added that McGregor’s recovery involved multiple surgeries and rods in his legs. He likened it to Dan Hooker, who broke his arm in a fight, had it fixed, and then broke it again.
McGregor is expected to fight Chandler in his first match in three years. But Rogan would rather see him face a less dangerous opponent first. He understands that McGregor has never shied away from competition. But he also knows that coming back from a long layoff and a severe injury could be risky.
“I would want a tune-up fight, 100 percent,” Rogan said. He pointed out that McGregor admitted to feeling the effects of inactivity in his second fight with Dustin Poirier. Rogan believes that to compete at the highest levels of MMA, you need to be active.
Rogan doubts the feasibility of taking two years off, having multiple surgeries, and then jumping back in against the world’s best. “Maybe he can do it, but if I was his coach and the option was available, I’d say let’s get someone who’s not even in the top 15,” he said. He suggests a “tune-up fight” to help McGregor get his timing back and feel the pressure of the fight again.