McGregor vs Chandler Odds & Pick: Ultimate Fighter Clash Carries Pick’Em Odds

The rumors swirled for a while, but UFC fans recently got the news they’d been hoping for: Conor McGregor (22-6, 10-4 UFC) will coach the upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter.

To make things even better, Team McGregor will be pitted against “Iron” Mike Chandler (23-8, 2-3 UFC), the self-proclaimed “most exciting lightweight on the planet,” in The Ultimate Fighter Season 31.

The long-running MMA reality TV show airs the first episode on May 30 and runs through August 15, with the McGregor-Chandler showdown to take place late this summer (the exact date is TBD). 

For more information on how the numbers work, including the McGregor vs Chandler odds, head over to our How to Bet on UFC page. Also, feel free to visit our main UFC betting news page for all the latest news from inside the Octagon.

McGregor vs Chandler Odds & Betting Preview

Odds as of February 7

The McGregor vs Chandler odds are currently a pick’em scenario. Our odds calculator gives each fighter an implied win probability of 52.38 percent, with a $10 bet on either corner paying out $19.09 (a return of your $10 and a profit of $9.09). 

How Chandler Wins

I’ll never diss Chandler’s style because, credit to him, he’s a man of his word – he always delivers exciting fights. His 2-3 UFC record isn’t representative of his skill set either, as he’s only fought the best 155ers in the world. The odds suggest he has a strong chance of winning vs McGregor, and I’m inclined to agree.

In Chandler’s last fight vs Dustin Poirier at UFC 281, Iron Mike had the most success when he shot for a double-leg takedown, landed it and wrestled his opponent. McGregor has improved his defensive wrestling over the years, but if Chandler can get close enough to negate the Irishman’s reach advantage (maybe he stuffs him against the cage) and power him to the ground, then he’s in the perfect environment for a victory.

Of course, there’s always the chance Chandler punts on all strategy and strikes like hell. That’s fine for him – he can win that way, too – but he’ll need to keep his guard up, mix in low kicks and try to avoid gassing out as he did in the Poirier fight.

How McGregor Wins

“Mystic Mac” is known for his quick feet and lightning hands, but we saw some of that agility fade in his last two fights. McGregor looked very flat-footed in his loss to Poirier at UFC 257, and Dustin crushed him with calf kicks before knocking him out. The rematch at UFC 264 didn’t go much better for the 34-year-old, who took a beating on the feet, then broke his ankle as Round 1 ended. 

Conor needs to be smarter with his shots in this fight (bring back the counter-left that slept Jose Aldo!). Chandler will attack the same way Poirier did at UFC 264, and McGregor needs to be ready. “The Notorious” must bounce on the feet, throw knees, elbows – whatever it takes – to maintain some space from Chandler and stop the bout from devolving into a heavy-hands competition. Conor is a sniper, while Chandler is a bulldozer. McGregor’s movements and his strikes have to be clean and precise for him to win. 

McGregor vs Chandler Pick

Make no mistake, this is an epic fight. First, I’ll say it’s very unlikely this fight goes the distance. It’s hard to say where the rounds total will open, but I’d be pretty comfortable banging the UNDER 2.5 rounds (this could change when the value comes out).

As for the winner, my gut tells me Chandler will get it done. McGregor is (was?) the more complete fighter, but Chandler’s strength and pressure will be too much for Mystic Mac to handle, especially after yet another long layoff. I’m going with Iron Mike by knockout.

Pick: Chandler by KO/TKO (TBD); UNDER 2.5 Rounds (TBD)

Why TUF 31 Will Be The Best Season Of All Time

The fight between the two coaches puts this season on the right track, but the drama outside the cage should make this year’s edition of the Ultimate Fighter worthy of all-time status. McGregor is famous for his quick wit and sharp (often vulgar) tongue, which always makes for a good bit of beef. Lately, Conor has seemed to amp up the fire – his Twitter rants are non-stop and, despite some promises of friendship, Poirier and McGregor had their fair share of beef over the last two fights. 

Chandler is no stranger to controversy either. He’s a bit of a dweeb – see his exchange with Poirier after UFC 281 – but he won’t back down. He’s not scared of a challenge; he’ll go face to face with any man inside or outside the cage. Pitting McGregor and Chandler’s personalities against each other will be interesting. I imagine Mystic Mac gets the better of Chandler on several occasions, so we’ll see how the 36-year-old responds.

As far as coaching goes, both guys have a lot to offer. McGregor’s instincts as a striker are (were?) some of the best the sport has ever seen. Conversely, Chandler has a solid wrestling IQ and is a relentlessly hard worker. It should be boatloads of fun to see how each coach passes wisdom down (or fails to pass it down) to his pupils.