Conor McGregor is certain his UFC return will happen at the White House event, and he expects Michael Chandler to be his opponent in a long-awaited fight.
McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) and Chandler (23-10 MMA, 2-5 UFC) were first expected to meet in 2023 when they filmed Season 31 of “The Ultimate Fighter” reality series. It was finally scheduled for UFC 303 in June 2024, but then just weeks prior to the event, McGregor withdrew due to a toe injury.
There were many doubts about whether “The Notorious” would ever make his return as he focused on Irish politics, found himself embroiled in legal controversy and found him liable for a 2018 sexual assault.
None of that has hindered his or UFC CEO Dana White’s enthusiasm about a comeback fight on the historic UFC White House card in June 2026, however, and now McGregor has gone as far as to publicly announce his planned opponent, and that’s former Bellator champion and UFC title challenger Chandler, who recently stated he likes his chances of facing McGregor on that date, as well.
“I’m on it,” McGregor told “FOX & Friends” of his return plans. “I am, this is me. Michael Chandler. Michael Chandler and myself have done the show, ‘The Ultimate Fighter,’ we’ve had a good back-and-forth. He’s a good, tough guy. And ‘The Mac’ is excited to be back, for sure.”
McGregor hasn’t competed since July 2021, when he suffered a broken leg in his trilogy-fight loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264. He hasn’t earned a victory in UFC competition since a first-round TKO of Donald Cerrone in January 2020.
