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Michael Chandler sends cryptic callout to Conor McGregor for UFC White House Fight

Originally posted on MMA on SI | By Zain Bando | Last updated Jul 21, 2025 6:06 PM ET

Michael Chandler is back on his Conor McGregor soapbox again, and this time, it appears to be the same old story.

With the UFC teasing a mega event at the White House in Washington, D.C., next year, McGregor has expressed interest in being one of the promotion's featured attractions on that card. So has an opponent he was initially linked to.

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That, of course, is Michael Chandler. Chandler and McGregor were coaches during TUF 31 in the fall of 2023 and had been scheduled to fight each other last June in UFC 303's original main event before McGregor suffered a toe injury.

McGregor still has not fought since July 2021, losing to now-retired Dustin Poirier in their UFC 264 trilogy fight.

Meanwhile, Chandler is 2-5 in the UFC and suffered a TKO loss in April to Paddy Pimblett. Chandler still seeks his first win since defeating Tony Ferguson in May 2022.

Max Holloway slams old UFC rival for making excuses after loss

Chandler Opens Up About McGregor Fight

Chandler spoke to TMZ about the possibility of finally fighting McGregor, which he'd agree to if the UFC approached him with the opportunity.

"It's definitely the fight that I want," Chandler said. "That's the fight everyone knows I want. I have said publicly that's the fight I want, but I'm also the guy who's not gonna wait for that fight. As you can see by me fighting Charles [Oliveira] and then Paddy [Pimblett], two fights in five months."

Chandler says at this point in his career, staying active is a major key.

Chandler Has Stayed Busy In The UFC

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"I was ready to get back in there and prove to the fans who I am, how I operate," Chandler said. "I want to go out there and put on a fun, exciting performance."

Chandler said he had planned to meet with UFC brass during the promotion's trip to New Orleans this past weekend, though it isn't known how they went. At least not yet.

For now, the MMA world is still waiting to see whether TUF 31 gets a final chapter, despite it being possibly three years later.