Chandler Insists The McGregor Fight Will Happen

Michael Chandler has reacted to Conor McGregor's return, insisting the fight will happen eventually, even if the UFC is not the one to deliver it.

"Whether me and Conor fight in the UFC or not, Conor and I will compete against each other at some point, in some venue, somewhere, somehow, some way," Chandler said

The history between Chandler and McGregor adds context to the frustration. The two coaches faced each other across the set of The Ultimate Fighter Season 31, building animosity and anticipation for a fight that was officially booked for UFC 303 in June 2024 before McGregor withdrew with a broken toe sustained in training. That cancellation left Chandler without the highest-profile bout of his career.

What followed has not been straightforward. Chandler has won only two of his seven UFC bouts and was stopped by Paddy Pimblett at UFC 314 in April 2025 — a result that intensified questions about whether he should consider retirement.

He faces Mauricio Ruffy at UFC Freedom 250 on June 14 on the White House lawn, a card that carries enormous profile but where Chandler finds himself well below the main event he might have expected to be part of had the McGregor fight gone ahead. Whether the performance against Ruffy on June 14 gives that claim any fresh momentum is the more immediate question.