Dana White Shuts Down Conor McGregor Fight Idea

McGregor–Chandler? “No.”

In an interview with Complex, White was asked directly about the possibility of McGregor finally facing Michael Chandler. A matchup that once seemed inevitable after the two served as opposing coaches on The Ultimate Fighter 31.

“No,” White said bluntly. “That was a couple of years ago. No.”

The response effectively shuts the door on a fight that was once scheduled to headline UFC 303 in June 2024 before McGregor withdrew due to a toe injury.

Conor McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) hasn’t fought since July 2021, when he suffered a catastrophic leg injury in his trilogy loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264. Since then, McGregor’s time away from the Octagon has included film promotion (Road House). A short-lived flirtation with running for president of Ireland, and legal trouble including being found liable in a civil sexual assault case tied to allegations from 2018.

While McGregor has repeatedly insisted he’s a “changed man” and remains adamant that he’ll fight at the White House, White isn’t sold.

“We’ll see if Conor’s going to come back or not,” White said. “We’ve been talking about it for a while. We’ll see how it plays out.”