Conor McGregor and ‘Iron’ Michael Chandler have officially wrapped their first day of filming The Ultimate Fighter.
Earlier this month, UFC president Dana White revealed that the pair would operate as opposing coaches on the 31st season of the promotion’s long-running reality series. Expected to air between May and August of this year, the season will officially conclude when McGregor and Chandler step inside the Octagon for a highly anticipated showdown this fall.
Coach Conor has arrived in Vegas! 📍
[ @TheNotoriousMMA | #TUF31 premieres Tuesday, May 30th | Live on @ESPN & @ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/uOdAarzCTa
— The Ultimate Fighter (@UltimateFighter) February 17, 2023
Commemorating the first day of filming, FullCombat shared a video clip of Conor McGregor shadowboxing a wall lined with the jerseys of previous TUF coaches over the last 18 years. McGregor reacted to the video clip on Twitter, saying exactly what many ‘Notorious’ fans were feeling at that moment.
“It’s like it’s too good to be true hahaha,” McGregor tweeted in response.
The filming of TUF has already begun. pic.twitter.com/MFWmY6dqpC
— Full Combat (@fullcombatoff) February 17, 2023
It’s like it’s too good to be true hahaha
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) February 17, 2023
Michael Chandler Comments on the First Day of Shooting TUF with Conor McGregor
Conor McGregor’s opposing coach and anticipated Octagon opponent ‘Iron’ Michael Chandler also shared his thoughts after completing the first day of shooting The Ultimate Fighter. Taking to Twitter, Chandler said:
“Day one of #tuf31 in the books…couldn’t have gone better. #teamchandler is right where we need to be.”
Day one of #tuf31 in the books…couldn’t have gone better. #teamchandler is right where we need to be.
— Michael Chandler (@MikeChandlerMMA) February 17, 2023
The new season of TUF will feature the two high-octane fighters coaching a team of bantamweight and lightweight fighters all vying for a contract with the promotion. While this is the first time Michael Chandler will be appearing on the popular fight series, McGregor is very familiar with the process having coached opposite Urijah Faber in 2015, though McGregor and Faber were never expected to step foot inside the Octagon together.
McGregor makes his long-awaited return after a lengthy layoff following a devastating leg injury suffered at UFC 264 in July 2021. ‘The Notorious’ has dropped three of his last four with his most recent victory coming in January 2020 against Donald Cerrone.
Michael Chandler finds himself in a similar hole, dropping three out of four after scoring a massive first-round knockout of Dan Hooker in his promotional debut.
