Michael Chandler reaffirms plan for Conor McGregor fight at UFC White House

Michael Chandler remains confident that he will get his hands on Conor McGregor in 2026.

Talk of McGregor‘s fighting return will no doubt strengthen this year as the UFC nears a monumental show at the White House.

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US President Donald Trump first teased the idea of an epic fight night at the White House in the summer of 2025, and it has since been brought to fruition by UFC CEO Dana White.

Several of MMA’s biggest stars have expressed their desire to have a slot on the card, although others are less enthusiastic.

Chandler has been one of the more prominent names to discuss fighting at UFC White House since it was confirmed, and due to his All-American persona, ‘Iron’ Mike has been thrust into the spotlight as a potential headliner.

But that is also due to his ties with former two-division UFC champion McGregor, who has said he will end his five-year MMA hiatus by fighting at the White House.

Chandler and McGregor have been going back and forth for years, having already been booked to fight at UFC 303 in June 2024.

The Las Vegas main event was cancelled when McGregor injured his toe while sparring, but Chandler hasn’t lost hope of finishing the rivalry they started as coaches on The Ultimate Fighter.

Michael Chandler: It sounds like I’ll be fighting Conor McGregor at White House

“I will say, it’s going to be a big year,” Chandler told comedian Bert Kreischer at New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash.

The 39-year-old then explained the significance of the UFC’s broadcast deal with Paramount+ in the United States, which runs for seven years from January 2026.

“And also, there’s a rumour going around that we can’t confirm or deny,” Chandler added.

“But it does sound like I might be handing Conor McGregor a good old-fashioned, passionate red, white and blue butt-whooping on the South Lawn of the White House sometime this summer.

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“That’s the plan.”

Chandler has been mocked by members of the MMA fraternity for his persistence in getting a fight with McGregor.

But there’s no doubt the High Ridge native would receive a career-high payday should his wishes be granted, all the while cementing his status as a true embodiment of the American dream.

Chandler has won two UFC fights since he joined the promotion in 2021, battling a who’s who of the greatest lightweight stars on the planet.

A matchup with McGregor is likely to come at welterweight, as the Irishman would struggle to shed the extra pounds to make championship weight at 155lbs in this stage of his career.

McGregor wants to make history in final UFC chapter

In fact, McGregor seemingly suggested last month that the UFC welterweight title was the last goal in his fighting career to become the first-ever three-division UFC champion.

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“I’m motivated, self-motivated,” McGregor told Bloody Elbow while pulling pints at his pub, The Black Forge Inn, in Dublin.

“I for sure want a crack at that 170lbs belt to go for the triple crown…

“I hope [it’s Michael Chandler], but I won’t say no to anyone – the UFC will decide it, but I don’t care.

“I just want to come back, I am so eager to come back and show my work.”

Islam Makhachev is the current UFC welterweight champion and is likely to meet either Ian Machado Garry or Kamaru Usman in his first title defence since dethroning Jack Della Maddalena.

White has said numerous times that he will start announcing fights for the White House in February.

The 56-year-old faces a whopping $700,000 bill to replace the grass on the South Lawn, where the octagon is set to be positioned at UFC White House.

Trump has said the card could incredibly have up to eight or nine title fights on the night, with some MMA fans even suggesting he may create a new United States championship belt specifically for the White House event.