UFC superstar Conor McGregor has only one way to defeat fellow MMA fighter Michael Chandler, according to former UFC star Chael Sonnen. The highly-anticipated showdown between the two fighters is expected to take place in Las Vegas later this year.

McGregor, who has been on a break from competition since fracturing his tibia in his trilogy fight against Dustin Poirier in 2021, has been making preparations for his long-awaited return to the Octagon. In a recent social media post, McGregor announced that he will be facing former lightweight contender Michael Chandler on June 29, as part of the UFC's International Fight Week card. However, the fight has yet to be officially confirmed by UFC president Dana White.

The anticipation for this clash has been building since McGregor and Chandler served as opposing coaches on the 31st season of The Ultimate Fighter last year. Now, as the fight looks set to become a reality, Chael Sonnen has weighed in with his thoughts on McGregor's chances of success in his comeback.

According to Sonnen, McGregor's best chance of victory lies in delivering a knockout blow to Chandler within the opening round of the fight. Sonnen believes that as the fight progresses, the odds will increasingly favor Chandler. In a video posted on his YouTube channel, Sonnen emphasized McGregor's proficiency in finishing fights early and outlined that if the bout goes beyond the first round, Chandler becomes the favorite. Sonnen stated, "If this sees the second round... you got totally different odds. If this sees the third round, we don't even have a conversation, for sure Chandler wins."

However, Sonnen also pointed out that there is still an opportunity for McGregor to secure a win if the fight is scheduled for only three rounds. He explained that McGregor could potentially win by decision if he banks a significant amount of time in the fight and loses less in total.

The news of McGregor's return to the Octagon was revealed by journalist Ariel Helwani, who previously mentioned that McGregor had initially aimed to headline the UFC 300 card in April but eventually agreed to face Chandler in June after discussions with the promotion. Chandler had expressed concern that McGregor might instead opt for a trilogy fight against Nate Diaz, which he considered an "easier fight." Nonetheless, it appears that the matchup between McGregor and Chandler is now on the horizon, with Chandler even showing willingness to move up to the middleweight division.

McGregor's return will be eagerly anticipated, as fans wait to see if he can reclaim his former glory after a prolonged absence from competition. The fight against Chandler provides a challenging task for McGregor, who will need to implement Sonnen's recommended strategy if he hopes to secure victory.

Chandler, who last fought in 2022 and suffered a third-round submission defeat to Dustin Poirier, will undoubtedly be aiming to rebound and further cement his reputation as a formidable opponent in the lightweight division.