UFC CEO Dana White casually dropped some major news today to Spinnin Backfist. White said that the highly anticipated matchup between Conor McGregor (22-6) and Michael Chandler (23-8) is not happening.
The two men were supposed to headline UFC 303 at the end of June. The fight came on the heels of the two men coaching opposite each other on The Ultimate Fighter in 2023. The fight was originally targeted for 2023 but it kept getting pushed back.
When the two finally had a date, McGregor pulled out of the fight due to a broken toe. Chandler insisted that the fight would go through and they were targeting December. However, Dana White never acknowledged that being the target and now we know that the fight isn’t happening at all.
UFC’s Plans
White said that Michael Chandler was tired of waiting on McGregor and he wants to fight. McGregor is said to be returning in early 2025 per White. White also said that some news was dropping tomorrow regarding fights. So, what could the UFC be planning.
One potential thing to watch out for is a BMF title fight between Max Holloway and one of the two men. My guess is that it would be McGregor. That fight seemingly makes a ton of sense for McGregor. Holloway is fighting Ilia Topuria for the featherweight title next month, but a BMF title fight with McGregor can happen regardless of the outcome.
In terms of Michael Chandler, I could see the UFC giving him someone like Justin Gaethje in a rematch or even Charles Oliveira in a rematch. Another option could be former featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski who has expressed interest in moving to 155 for his next fight. All of those men could also be options for McGregor. Either way, a major turn of events.