Former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion Conor McGregor is reportedly nearing his return to competition this year and it’s potentially coming with a major twist. On January 1 of this year, McGregor announced he will be facing former title challenger Michael Chandler, the man who coached against McGregor in last year’s season of The Ultimate Fighter.

Two of the sport’s biggest superstars and most talented fighters are tentatively scheduled to fight on June 29, although the promotion has yet to confirm or announce a fight date or location between the two. The biggest twist of it all, is that during McGregor’s announcement, he added that the fight between the two lightweight contenders will take place at 185 pounds, two weight classes higher than where they normally compete.

McGregor himself has competed in the welterweight, lightweight, and featherweight divisions, so a fourth wouldn’t be that surprising, but it does make you wonder. Does he want to fight Chandler at the biggest weight possible? Is he setting himself up for a run in the welterweight division? Will he ever compete in the lightweight division again?

It could be something totally different and unique to Conor McGregor himself, and that is knowing his star-power and value. Even with his lone win in his last four blockbuster fights coming back in 2020, McGregor knows the power he holds within the UFC when it comes to their popularity, their fans, and their revenue. Having that power is one thing, knowing that power is even more important and could lead to decisions like a fight between lightweights taking place at middleweight.

Michael Chandler in his own right has done very well for himself since joining the UFC. The former standout Bellator MMA champion has done well for himself and despite not holding UFC gold yet, has carved out a career which has allowed him to invest in other business opportunities and not needing to feel forced to fight. In all, both McGregor and Chandler are similar in a way that they do not rely on the UFC, but the promotion may very well rely on them to fight each other at some point this year.

During his meteoric rise in the UFC, McGregor was known for saying he would fight anyone, anywhere, and at any weight. He continues to prove that to be true, taking on any and all challengers, ready to fight at whatever weight he decides, because his opponent follows the lead.

The fight between Conor McGreogr and Michael Chandler is not concrete, neither is the weight that they will fight at, but at the very least, the narrative remains: Conor McGregor is unique. A unique fighter, presence, and revenue creator in the UFC, and while often times he refers to his fights as championship weight he, himself, is the championship for the UFC, his opponent, and the fans.