Damn dude, this was really a challenge to read your post. Use dots to separate thought next time.
Imho Chandler should not wait for a money fight, but rather have any fight. Since November 2022 he hanst fought. Lightweight is a very challenging division. If you make big pause, chances to return and win melt like snow in spring. It was stupid for Chandler to wait for Conor. First he waited when Conor recovers from injury, then USADA (btw anyone knows what is with testing today in UFC?), then TUF, then Conor had some plans (that movie with Gyllenhaal and countless parties and vacations). Now anyone fighter from top4 will beat Chandler (btw they already did that). Chandler must fight somebody and make it fast. In UFC, he only beat old Fergusson and Hooker. 2-3 in UFC since 2021. That record and achievement is nothing today.
Sorry about that, but you still understand what I am trying to say, anyway Chandler looks like he wanted the money but for sure you are right in pointing out that he needs to fight someone so he will be relevant and could contest someone if he still has it in him. but he has waited this long enough maybe to preserve him from sudden injuries or maybe losing to his opponent before the McGregor fight, yeah he needed a fight badly even though he is training the experience inside the ring has a big difference for sure.
Yup I took a peek a couple of hours ago... And I really think those odds are pretty good for Volk. The books could be putting too much weight on his last loss vs Makhachev which Volk took on short notice hence saving the event. Volk during interviews also seemed to give hints that he got paid well for it, saying that he has now enough to take care of his daughter and setting her up for life.
Now that he got that out of the way, he'll prolly now focus on himself and focus on retiring as one of the best 145 champions in history.
As for Gaethje vs Holloway, afaik it's still on. Check Tapology.
I really wish he gets to focus on the fight now because I have heard that Volkanovski has been drinking every day for weeks, going to that Islam Makhachev fight and he said that he is going into the fight without a full training camp, and he is mentally prepared for this, and going into his Concussion injury because he got knockout in their last fight he compared it to his rugby days if you get knocked on a game you would want to get back into the game next week so what is a few months, this is absurd the way he is comparing different things. this might ruin his strategy and focus on the upcoming Topuria fight, and because of this even though Ilia Topuria would be the underdog for this fight. he could win this because Alexander Volkanovski is being himself.