Conor McGregor has insisted the feud between he and Michael Chandler is mostly "fun", despite a viral video of him manhandling his rival in a face-off.
The Irishman is returning to the octagon after two years out with a broken leg to face Chandler later this year, and the first port of call for the duo was coaching against one another on The Ultimate Fighter this year. And despite seemingly having a good relationship, the pair got physical during one clip that has appeared on social media.
Last night's premiere episode, which airs tonight on BT Sport 3, did not give any further reasoning for the push - but it is expected to be explained as the episodes go on. And McGregor has declared that aside from that intense moment, the pair have mostly had an entertaining few weeks of coaching together.
"I'm having a bit of fun to be honest with you," he told the UFC's official YouTube channel in an interview to promote the show. "I don't mind Michael at all, don't mind the team, the lads. There was a bit of hostility at one stage but for the most part it's been a lot of good fun and happy days.
"I'd do this again, I'd coach this non-stop to be honest. I like Las Vegas, I have a base out here, I've got a house out here and the kids are out here with me and Dee [Devlin, his long-time fiancee] in school and everything so we like Las Vegas a lot."
McGregor and Chandler were first seen going head-to-head with one another during last night's episode. It all ended in disaster for the former two-weight world champion as his fighter Nate Jennerman was knocked out within nine seconds of the opening bout against Roosevelt Roberts.
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This season pits two sets of eight against each other; one at bantamweight and one at lightweight. McGregor has picked the teams of prospects at both weights, meaning fighters who are looking to make their UFC debuts, while Chandler has been given the veterans who have previously fought in the promotion and are aiming to get back.
The picks have provided one interesting dilemma for McGregor, who has to coach against his own teammate Brad Katona later in the season. The Canadian trains at SBG Ireland under the Irishman's trainer John Kavanagh, but as a former TUF winner is on the bantamweight veterans team, meaning Chandler is his coach for the season.
At the beginning of the episode, McGregor won the 'coin toss' which allowed him to pick what group of fighters he wanted to coach. The Irishman chose to coach the prospects rather than the experienced veterans, and while it wasn't addressed on screen, a likely part of the reason was that he wanted to work with close friend Lee Hammond, a 155lb prospect.
