Ben Askren is the latest to accuse Conor McGregor of substance abuse after Michael Chandler ended his wait for the former two-division UFC champion.
McGregor and Chandler were supposed to headline UFC 303 in June for the Irish star’s return to the Octagon. But, McGregor withdrew from the event on weeks’ notice due to a toe injury, and he hasn’t been re-booked for a fight.
Chandler, who hasn’t fought since UFC 281, ended his holding pattern for the McGregor fight in recent days. He’ll face former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira at UFC 309 in November.
It remains uncertain if/when McGregor will return to the Octagon. After McGregor’s UFC 303 withdrawal, Chael Sonnen speculated McGregor’s reason for pulling out of the fight wasn’t the one that was publicized.
Askren is the latest to parrot Sonnen’s theory behind McGregor’s hiatus.
Ben Askren goes off on Conor McGregor after Michael Chandler fight news
During a recent episode of Funky and the Champ with Daniel Cormier, Askren accused McGregor of substance abuse.
“It’s pretty obvious, to me, that Conor McGregor is an addict,” Askren said of McGregor. “And he is rich enough, that it doesn’t really have a hugely negative impact on his life. Everyone just kind of like lets him do what he wants to do. But this guy clearly is out partying, can’t show up for training camp. And then because he can’t show up for training camp, he can’t get ready for a fight. There’s videos of him partying, constantly. And listen, if you’re rich and famous, and you’re not murdering anyone or anything worse where you’re going to go to jail, I guess fine, whatever. Go live your life. But he kind of dragged on that he was going to fight for two years…
“So it’s really annoying, but I was on record saying he wasn’t fighting in 2023. That Michael Chandler should move on and say ‘Hey, you’re not a serious fighter anymore, you’re an addict and you can’t train’. I’ve said that many times… probably both [drugs and alcohol],” Askren continued. “I don’t know that I can make any pronouncements without seeing him do it. But I’ve watched videos enough to know that this guy is out of control…and from all rumors, he’s on multiple substances.”
UFC CEO Dana White recently asserted McGregor’s return is postponed until 2025. It’s uncertain if Chandler will be McGregor’s return opponent.
