Conor McGregor is calling his shot.
As the former two-division UFC champion works his way back to compete for the first time in over four years, he’s now named Michael Chandler as the opponent he expects to face at the UFC White House card coming in 2026. McGregor announced the news during an appearance on Fox & Friends.
“The Mac is excited to get back for sure. I’m on [the White House card],” McGregor said. “This is me.
“[I’m fighting] Michael Chandler. Michael Chandler and myself have done the show The Ultimate Fighter, we’ve had a good back and forth. He’s a good, tough guy.”
While McGregor seems certain, UFC CEO Dana White has repeatedly stated that he’s not planning to make fights for the UFC White House event until next February.
That said, White admitted that he has been in constant contact with McGregor and the Irish superstar seems very serious about making his long awaited return at the historic card happening at the White House.
McGregor hasn’t fought since suffering a gruesome broken leg in his trilogy against Dustin Poirier.
He coached against Chandler on The Ultimate Fighter and they were scheduled to meet back in June 2024 but McGregor suffered a broken toe in training that forced the fight to be cancelled.
The matchup was never rescheduled.
That might change now that McGregor appears intent on fighting at the UFC White House card and that’s surely music to Chandler’s ears as well.
“I think we’re closer now than we ever have been,” Chandler said about making the McGregor fight finally happen. “I’ve always said if you’re a betting man, don’t put money on him necessarily coming back but now this changes things a lot.
“In my heart of hearts, I think I’m fighting Conor McGregor at the White House and that sure does make a ton of sense for a multitude of reasons.”
It looks like McGregor is on board as well and now it’s just up to the UFC to actually book the long awaited matchup.
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