Former MMA star Chael Sonnen has claimed that Conor McGregor's UFC comeback is fuelled by money.
McGregor has not appeared in the Octagon since breaking his leg against Dustin Poirier two years ago, but now the injury is fully healed, the Irishman is preparing for what is an eagerly anticipated return to MMA.
Michael Chandler is looking like the prime candidate for McGregor's return to the cage after the pair were competing head coaches on the latest series of The Ultimate Fighter, but fans are still waiting for a fight date and the weight at which the contest will be fought at.
Sonnen questioned whether McGregor is actually invested in his UFC comeback after making appearances at numerous sporting events such as this past weekend's crossover clash between Tyson Fury and Francis Ngannou, while Chandler has been spending time in the gym to give him the best possible chance of getting one of, if not the biggest win, of his MMA career.
"To see Michael Chandler training everyday, which he is, and to see Conor McGregor anywhere in the world except for a gym, which he’s never at, it’s one of those things like there is a money grab at some point," Sonnen told MMA Junkie.
"You will ask every fighter, ‘Why are you still fighting?’ And the answer if he tells the truth is because they’re still paying me. It feels as though Conor is getting into the cash grab."