Chandler: I'm a 'nightmare' matchup for McGregor

Michael Chandler believes he matches up extremely well with Conor McGregor.

"With my wrestling background, plus the power in my hands, plus my ability to mix up the striking with the takedowns, plus my ability to push the pace, I think I'm a nightmare for Conor," Chandler told ESPN's Brett Okamoto.

The former Bellator lightweight champion is scheduled to make his Octagon debut against Dan Hooker at UFC 257 on Jan. 23. With McGregor headlining the card against Dustin Poirier, Chandler thinks a victory could lead to a fight with the former two-division champion - or it could at least put him into that conversation.

"You have to be real with the stakes at hand when you talk about being in the same weight class and the same organization, fighting on the same night as Conor McGregor, your name being right next to his on the bill. ... There's going to be a lot of compare and contrast," Chandler said.

It's been almost a year since McGregor last stepped into the cage, but Chandler expects the Irishman to be at his best against Poirier.

"He is one of the most mentally strong, most devastatingly confident men in the entire world - definitely across this sport," Chandler said. "We as fans, or we as his fellow competitors, we don't give him as much credit as is due."