Conor McGregor is accused of ‘trying to wait out’ for Nate Diaz trilogy fight by lightweight star Michael Chandler… as UFC chief Dana White reveals talks are underway for the Irishman’s return to the octagon

UFC star Conor McGregor has been accused of ‘trying to wait out’ for a trilogy fight with Nate Diaz and avoid a bout with the Michael Chandler. 

McGregor, who recently attended the Day of Reckoning boxing event in Saudi Arabia, has not stepped foot inside the UFC octagon since July 2021.    

At that event, he insisted that his patience with the UFC is ‘wearing thin’, noting that negotiations surrounding his return to the Octagon after more than two years of inactivity have thus far proved fruitless.

Now, McGregor has been accused of waiting out for an ‘easier fight’ by UFC rival Chandler, who thinks the Irishman is trying to take the ‘smartest fight’. 

Speaking to Steve-O’s Wild Ride podcast, Chandler said: ‘I think right now he’s trying to wait me out. 

UFC lightweight star Michael Chandler made the claim during a recent podcast appearance

‘I mean because if you were him, would you want to wait as long as possible for the guy like me, who’s a real fighter, who wants to be in there, who wants to compete? 

‘So that I say, ‘Screw it, I’m gonna go fight someone else’ and then he can go fight an easier fight – Nate Diaz. It looks really bad on everyone’s part if Conor comes back and doesn’t fight me. 

‘Conor can try to come back and act like he runs the show and say, ‘I want to fight this guy, I want to fight that guy,’ which if I was in his position, if I was his manager, I would be trying to do the same thing because fighting me is not the smartest fight.’

McGregor and Diaz famously had one of the greatest rivalries in UFC history following their two fights in 2016. 

The Irishman was stunned by his American counterpart when they first matched up and lost via submission before winning the rematch just months later. 

Chandler and McGregor had been expected to face off inside the octagon after appearing as coaches for the latest season of The Ultimate Fighter show. 

Typically, at the end of the season, the two coaches from either side will fight in the UFC however that appears to be far from reality, at the moment.

McGregor and Diaz famously had one of the greatest rivalries in UFC history following their two fights in 2016

UFC chief Dana White has teased a possible return to the octagon for McGregor in 2024

However, UFC chief Dana White did reveal that talks are underway for the Irishman’s return and  

White revealed on Wednesday night: ‘We talked tonight. I’m in Abu Dhabi, he’s in Dubai. We’re gonna figure something out. We’re talking.’

McGregor has not fought inside the octagon since July 2021, when he suffered a consecutive defeat to American lightweight Dustin Poirier. 

The Irishman lost via doctor’s stoppage after breaking his leg during the first round of the bout.