Michael Chandler isn’t deterred by past history and delays with Conor McGregor. In fact, he might be bolstered by it.
With the UFC in full-force promotion mode for a White House event in 2026, having already revealed renderings, rumors are swirling as to who could fight at the event. Dana White has voiced openness to a McGregor return. McGregor advocated for the slot in an interview Friday with Fox News and he wants it to be opposite Chandler.
Chandler also appeared Friday on Fox News and echoed McGregor’s sentiments.
“One thing is for sure: expect the unexpected,” Chandler said. “When you’ve got Dana White and Donald Trump, you’ve got their brains behind it, their promotional brains behind it, expect the unexpected. Nothing is impossible for these gentlemen. It’s going to be a one-of-one type of show.
“Obviously, we heard Conor earlier. That is the fight to make. Conor and I, we have some history. We did ‘The Ultimate Fighter,’ 12 weeks on ESPN. I’m the opponent that he wants. He’s the opponent that I want, and it seems like it’s a heck of the main event for the UFC White House.”
McGregor and Chandler have long been aligned. Coaches for “The Ultimate Fighter 31,” the two fighters were expected to square off following the conclusion of the season in August 2023. However, it wasn’t until months later that the fight was scheduled for UFC 303 in June 2024. McGregor pulled out of the fight weeks prior due to a toe injury, and it was never rebooked.
But the disappointment, teasing, and wasted build may not be for not. Chandler thinks, if anything, the unsettled business adds to the interest.
“This has all of the ingredients that you need for the biggest fight in UFC history,” Chandler said. “You’ve got Conor McGregor and myself, two huge stars in the UFC. We’ve got history. There was a build-up to this fight and now you’re talking about 250 years of this great nation of ours, America’s birthday, the celebration near July 4, at the White House. Like we said, this will never ever be done before. Never did we ever think this would be possible and here we are talking about it. Every time I talk to somebody about it, whether they have heard about it, they’re absolutely ecstatic about it, or they haven’t heard about it and they think I’m lying to them. It’s absolutely nuts. You look at the renderings. Have you seen the renderings? It’s absolutely amazing.”
