Don’t hold your breath for Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler this summer. UFC CEO Dana White offered a potential timeline for the long-awaited fight and it won’t be on McGregor’s previously announced schedule.
White appeared on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Wednesday and shared a small update on McGregor vs. Chandler, but it likely won’t spark enthusiasm from the fanbase.
“Eventually,” White said. “Hopefully, this year. There is no date. I’m hoping for the fall. [Hopefully] we get it done in the fall.”
A fall timeline directly conflicts with McGregor’s New Year’s Eve announcement. McGregor previously claimed the Chandler fight would take place at UFC International Fight Week on June 29. The UFC never formally announced the fight or the date for this year’s IFW.
McGregor vs. Chandler is in a long-term holding pattern. It’s been more than a year since White announced McGregor and Chandler as coaches on “The Ultimate Fighter.” The season concluded on Aug. 15, 2023, and a fight has yet to be signed. A fall timeline not only rules out International Fight Week this summer, but also UFC 300. The milestone UFC card, scheduled for April 13, is still without a confirmed main event.
McGregor has not fought since suffering a leg injury against Dustin Poirier in July 2021. Chandler’s status dates back to a November 2022 fight against Poirier.
