Is Dana White’s UFC White House plan moving ahead without Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler?

UFC president Dana White has ruled out a long-rumored fight between Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler for the planned UFC White House event in June 2026. His objective was to halt speculation that had recently resurfaced around the UFC card. According to MMA Insight, Dana White addressed the matter when asked by Complex News whether McGregor vs. Michael Chandler was a realistic option to headline the event. He said the matchup was discussed a couple of years ago and is not part of the UFC’s current plans, confirming that the fight has neither been booked nor actively worked on.

After the clarification, there was still buzz around Michael Chandler’s public comments. Chandler spoke about the fight during a CBS New Year’s Eve broadcast and later referenced it again in an interview with ESPN, which led many fans to believe the bout was close to being finalized despite no official announcement. Dana White’s statement now establishes the promotion’s position and indicates that the matchup is not being pursued for the June 2026 UFC White House event.

Dana White confirms UFC White House plans do not include Conor McGregor vs Michael Chandler

Dana White confirms that as of now, McGregor has not been confirmed for the White House event, and no opponent has been assigned. McGregor also later posted on social media, “Pick who ya want!” McGregor wrote on Twitter. “The Mac sweats nothing and nobody. I’m TASTY SHOTS.” His message did not include confirmation of a fight agreement, opponent, or date tied to the event.
Michael Chandler has not issued a public response following Dana White’s comment, “We’ll see if Conor’s going to come back or not,” White said. “We’ve been talking about it for a while. We’ll see how it plays out.”

At this stage, the UFC has not provided a timeline for when headline bouts for the White House event will be announced. Dana White has indicated that discussions with multiple fighters are ongoing, but no agreements have been finalized.

With the event still months away, the promotion has left flexibility in its planning, and the final lineup is expected to be determined closer to June 2026 once fighter availability and scheduling are confirmed.

Also Read: Is Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing bad news for boxers? Forbes Next 1000 honoree questions the Saudi-backed shift in the sport


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