UFC commentator Jon Anik is hopeful that former two-division champion Conor McGregor will make his comeback to the Octagon by fighting Michael Chandler in the next nine months. Both athletes had served as coaches on Season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter.

Despite McGregor being accused of sexual assault during Game 4 of the NBA Finals in Miami and his legal team denying the allegations, Anik still believes that the Irish fighter will return to the sport competitively by early 2024.

McGregor broke his leg during his first-round TKO loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 last July, and there is uncertainty about his status in the US Anti-Doping Agency’s testing pool, which could impact a potential fight against Chandler.

Anik acknowledged that the headlines surrounding McGregor’s sexual assault accusation and uncertain doping pool status have led to increased doubt about the possibility of a Chandler-McGregor fight, but he remains optimistic that the two fighters will eventually face each other.

Anik even suggested that the final pay-per-view of the year could be the perfect opportunity for a comeback. Despite these optimistic projections, Chandler recently expressed his doubts about the booking.

Anik believes that McGregor’s leg injury combined with misinformation circulating in the media have been significant setbacks for his potential return, explaining that Chris Weidman still hasn’t returned following his similar injury. However, he is confident that McGregor is keen to compete again in the UFC and hopes that a bout against Chandler will be the first step in getting back into an active competition cycle.