MICHAEL CHANDLER has warned Conor McGregor his days of being an effective trash talker are over.
At the peak of his powers, The Notorious was renowned for getting into his opponents’ heads with a unique, and previously unseen, brand of trash talk.
GETTYConor McGregor will make his grand return at UFC 303 on June 29[/caption]
GETTYThe Notorious will be welcomed back to the octagon by Michael Chandler[/caption]
Chandler insists the Irishman’s trash talk isn’t as effective as it used to beGETTY
McGregor’s antics haven’t worked as much in recent years, so much so that upcoming opponent Chandler believes he’s a busted flush when it comes to that aspect of his game.
He told Shawn Ryan: “I’m going up against the biggest and baddest trash-talker in the game in Conor McGregor, or at least he used to be.
“I think he used to be a lot better at it than he is now.”
Despite believing the era of McGregor’s trash talk being effective is over, Chandler has taken measures to prepare himself for whatever verbal jabs are thrown his way.
The 37-year-old said: “I’ve never had to prepare myself for media obligations and being in the same room as a guy because I’ve always felt on point linguistically as my opponent.
“When you’re going up against a guy like Conor McGregor, there’s a little bit more research.
“I’ve never visualised the trash talk side of things like I have now.
“I don’t have a psychological trash talk coach, but I am my own little encyclopedia of who my next opponent is.
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“And I’ve got it all right here [brain] to be able to pull it out when I need it.”
McGregor, 35, hasn’t set foot inside the octagon since breaking his left leg in his trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier at UFC 264, nearly three years ago.
And Chandler reckons ring rust will prove to be the former two-division champion’s undoing in their UFC 303 showdown in Las Vegas.
He said: “I think his time out of the cage has lent itself to his timing, movement and reflexes not being what they used to be.
“From the first exchange, I’m going to hit him with big punches, make him second guess himself.
“Pick him up, put him down and choke him if I want to.
“[I’m going to] go out there and get the finish.”
Inside McGregor’s Notorious lifestyle
With more sides to his personality than an Octagon, Conor McGregor’s rise has been an enthralling watch.
Going from UFC icon to entrepreneur and Hollywood star, the Irishman has transcended the sport he helped bring to the masses.
He has four children with fiancee Dee Devlin and the family enjoy a lavish lifestyle.
McGregor has not fought in UFC since breaking his leg in a trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier in 2021.
That has not stopped him amassing a net worth of over £150m thanks to his Proper No Twelve whiskey and fashion line.
And he is due to return to the Octagon at UFC 303 in an eagerly-awaited headline clash with Michael Chandler.
McGregor also starred alongside Jake Gyllenhaal in the Amazon Prime remake of classic movie Road House, although he is dreading his mum seeing one X-rated scene.
Notorious turned up to the premiere in a £60,000 suit that was outdone by his £460k watch.
The only thing sharper than his fashion sense is his tongue and the Dubliner has several bitter spats under his belt, including with UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov.
That row led to one of his biggest controversies in 2018 as he travelled 3,000 miles to confront Khabib in a vicious attack on his bus.
He pleaded guilty to assault after punching a man in a pub in 2018 and had his £150k Bentley seized by police for driving offences four years later.
Joe Rogan lashed out at McGregor in a four-letter outburst and the Irishman has also fired shots at Jake Paul, KSI and Tommy Fury.
Boxing great Floyd Mayweather also has McGregor on his enemy list after the pair clashed in a cross-sport bout in 2017.
Read all of our Conor McGregor stories here.