Michael Chandler gives first response to being snubbed for Conor McGregor fight at White House

Michael Chandler says he still expects to fight Conor McGregor at the White House, despite Dana White diminishing his hopes.

Last week, UFC CEO White played down suggestions that Chandler would meet McGregor in a fight at UFC White House.

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McGregor is expected to make his fighting return at the iconic event, with rival Chandler the longtime favourite to be his comeback opponent.

Both men were scheduled to conclude their coaching rivalry in The Ultimate Fighter by fighting at UFC 303 in June 2024, but McGregor withdrew from the main event on short notice due to injury.

The Irishman has repeatedly stated he will return for UFC White House, naming Chandler on more than one occasion as his next opponent.

So when White laughed off a question about booking McGregor vs Chandler at the White House, MMA fans were stunned.

Michael Chandler: Dana White’s comments not great to hear, but I still expect to fight Conor McGregor

Chandler hadn’t responded to White’s comments until he appeared on The Ariel Helwani Show on Wednesday.

“We’ll see how this thing plays out,” the 39-year-old told Helwani.

“Nobody has any idea what the fights are going to be on the White House card…

“Obviously, it’s not encouraging. It’s not great to hear, but I’ve also heard many things that were not encouraging that turned out to be not true or just flat-out false.

“So, we just keep on going, man.”

Chandler was out of action for two years from November 2022, waiting on the UFC to finalise a fight with McGregor.

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When McGregor’s injury came out, Chandler wound up facing Charles Oliveira at UFC 309 instead – suffering unanimous decision defeat against the Brazilian after a five-round ‘Fight of the Night’ co-main event.

Chandler then met Paddy Pimblett, who fights Justin Gaethje at UFC 324 on Saturday, in his last outing to date.

He was dominated by Pimblett and eventually succumbed to brutal elbows from ‘The Baddy’ in a third-round stoppage defeat.

The Missouri native had been tied up in the McGregor saga long before both fights, so it’s not surprising, after years of close calls, to hear that he’s not giving up hope.

Why is Chandler hanging on to the McGregor fight?

“Whether that’s what [White] is feeling that day or what’s 100 per cent going to happen, I don’t know,” Chandler added.

“All I know is you can control the controllables in life, and just as I have been, sitting in patience, not reacting to things, responding in due time…

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“I am human, so I’m not going to lie and say that it wasn’t exactly encouraging. Would I rather not have heard it? Of course.

“I wouldn’t go as far to say [I’m feeling] deflated, because I still have the confident expectancy that I’m fighting Conor McGregor on the White House lawn.”

Chandler believes McGregor is a ‘man of his word’, so is simply waiting for confirmation at this point.

“I don’t have a Plan B until Plan A is 100 per cent exhausted,” Chandler concluded.

“That’s kind of where we’re at right now. I’m formulating my blocks and my training and my diet and all that stuff leading up to June right now.

“That’s the plan — fighting at the White House, fighting Conor at the White House.

“Until that train gets completely derailed — and the only way it’s going to get derailed is him getting announced against somebody else at the White House or me getting announced against somebody at the White House.”

White has said he will start planning fights for the White House card after UFC 324 this weekend.

It is expected to take place on June 14 – Donald Trump’s 80th birthday.