Conor McGregor lands in Las Vegas as filming for The Ultimate Fighter begins

The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 31 has just started filming and already it’s generating more interest than the past several seasons combined.

That’s because of its high profile coaches: “The Notorious” Conor McGregor and “Iron” Michael Chandler, who are set to duke it out sometime around September (if McGregor ever re-enters USADA’s drug testing pool, that is). Filming began on the latest season of TUF yesterday (Feb. 16, 2023) and UFC has been splashing clips of Conor McGregor’s arrival at the APEX all over social media.

Take a look:

McGregor arrived in a sharp purple suit and looking bigger than ever. It’s still an open question as to whether he’ll be fighting Michael Chandler at 170 pounds or 155 pounds Chandler assumes 170, while company President, Dana White, has claimed the fight will go down at 155.

We’ll just have to wait and see what McGregor decides once TUF 31 wraps.

While Chandler wasn’t featured by UFC socials, he did share his own thoughts on how the first day of filming went.

“Day one of TUF 31 in the books … couldn’t have gone better,” he wrote on Twitter. “Team Chandler is right where we need to be.”

As for McGregor, he hasn’t shared any words on social media since he posted a photo with his kids on a private jet flying to the United States.

“On my way to Vegas to coach a few kids to a UFC contract,” he wrote. “A blessing. A privilege. An honor. My pleasure. Welcome to ‘UFC with the Mac.’”

The date and location for Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler is unknown at this time. Nevertheless, TUF 31 will debut on ESPN/ESPN+ on May 30, 2023, and run until Aug. 15, 2023.

For the latest and greatest TUF 31-related news and notes click here.