Michael Chandler has already been a part of some huge fights since joining the UFC roster, but he’ll reach a new stratosphere with his upcoming showdown against Conor McGregor.
The ex-Bellator lightweight champion is preparing to film the next season of The Ultimate Fighter opposite McGregor, then the two fighters will square off in a matchup destined to become one of the most anticipated cards of the year. Chandler thinks that McGregor, who has been the greatest UFC star ever, will be matched against Chandler’s action-packed and fan-friendly style to create a lot of pay per view buys.
“If you look at the numbers, I think 2 million [buys], it’s not just a possibility, I think it’s very achievable and very attainable,” Chandler said on The MMA Hour.
Chandler was already competing on one the most popular cards ever when he faced Dan Hooker in the first round of UFC 257.. That card reportedly sold 1. 6 million pay-per-view buys, which was second all-time in the UFC behind only McGregor’s fight with Khabib Nurmagomedov that sold 2. 4 million buys at UFC 229.
He has built a reputation for himself after he received four bonuses post-fight in five fights with UFC. He expects that his matchup against McGregor will draw lots of attention.
“It’s hard for me to toot my own horn, but I think what I’ve created is a level of intrigue and mystique that when I show up on fight night and that cage door closes, all hell breaks loose and my foot is on the gas,” Chandler said. Since signing with the organisation, I have not seen a brake pedal. Since I began fighting.
“It’s just continued to build and build and build. So you look at why this fight got made, Conor knows it’s going to do big numbers.”
Chandler admits that it’s all a little surreal, especially considering he signed with the UFC less than three years ago and he’s already competed on five pay-per-view broadcasts, not to mention earning consideration for Fight of the Year following his battle with Justin Gaethje and Knockout of the Year for his win over Tony Ferguson.
” “It’s pretty crazy,” Chandler stated. “I remember being on the outside looking in and always seeing these huge stages and huge opportunities and huge things that are maybe passing me by. I’m very happy with my career and I’m very happy with the road that I took. The patience I displayed made me very content. My management and I were able to strategize every major decision we needed.
” It is fitting that Conor McGregor, who entered the UFC, was always talking about his thoughts and how they manifested. He also talked about how he saw the world and how it was all happening. Now we can see Conor as the man he is and the things he created. From welfare plumber to who Conor McGregor is now. Since I was not signed up with the organization , I believe that I have seen stages similar to this.
The fight will have lots of interest already, and Chandler is happy that he will get to spend 2 months with McGregor on a reality series, which will draw more viewers into their show.
“Everybody is tuning in,” Chandler said. “Everybody is buying the pay-per-view for that night, that moment, that opportunity, and you couple that with the opportunity to be on ESPN the network for a month and a half, two months, every Tuesday night or whatever it’s going to be — people are going to be tuning in and the tension’s going to be palpable and the buildup and leadup to this thing, could be the biggest pay-per-view that we’ve ever seen.
“Obviously, I am a wishful thinker. It is my expectation that I will be able to build it. Conor knows how to build things. So we’re about to have a blast.”
Source: https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/2/6/23588447/michael-chandler-believes-his-fight-conor-mcgregor-could-earn-2-million-ppv-buys-its-very-achievable?rand=96749
