“That’s the plan,” said Michael Chandler at New Year’s Eve Live Nashville Big Bash, hinting that his long-awaited fight against Conor McGregor at the UFC White House event is in the works. ‘Iron’ sounded confident that the promotion would finally make the matchup happen. However, UFC insiders are casting doubt on it. Naturally, the UFC has felt the impact of his extended absence, but Chandler has suffered the most.

The former Bellator champion put his career on hold, spending nearly two prime years waiting for a blockbuster showdown that promised both money and legacy. Despite the “betrayal,” Michael Chandler is still campaigning for the matchup on June 14 this summer. That idea, however, has met with skepticism, as UFC insider Jon Anik pushed back on Iron’s expectations, suggesting an alternative path for Conor McGregor and proposing a different opponent in Nate Diaz.

“I would love to see Conor McGregor back in the Octagon,” said Jon Anik on the Jaxxon Podcast, “and Michael Chandler always dons the Stars and Stripes of the United States of America, so I think he deserves a place on the White House card. But that matchup, to me, is not a bout of consequence in the lightweight division. They’ll probably fight at 170. I would just rather see Conor fight Nate Diaz, or Mauricio Ruffy, or, I don’t know, somebody else,” Jon Anik added.

After ‘Iron’ and McGregor coached against each other at TUF 31 in 2023, their teams prepared to make the bout happen. But every time Conor McGregor tried to return, USADA issues, Hollywood commitments, or legal troubles disrupted Michael Chandler‘s plans. In fact, in 2024, McGregor and Chandler came one step away from facing each other at UFC 303. However, ‘The Notorious’s pinky toe injury blocked the matchup.

Although Chandler deserves a spot on the UFC White House card against McGregor, a trilogy fight between Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz makes more sense. The two fighters currently hold a 1-1 record, having faced each other twice in the welterweight division back in 2016. In fact, both fights drew massive attention and generated significant business for the UFC.

Their first fight at UFC 196 earned 1.5 million pay-per-view buys and a live gate of $8.1 million, with 14,697 fans attending at the MGM Grand. Meanwhile, the rematch at UFC 202 attracted approximately 1.6 million PPV buys and a live gate of $7,692,010 from 15,539 attendees.

Clearly, these numbers show that a McGregor vs. Nate Diaz trilogy could deliver an even bigger business boost for the promotion, which has struggled recently to generate such high revenue.

Michael Chandler issues bold warning to Conor McGregor

The 39-year-old Michael Chandler no longer chases the title or other accolades, focusing instead on the “red, penty night,” a dream he has pursued for years. However, Conor McGregor’s antics and sheer will repeatedly derailed Iron’s plans during this period of waiting.

Fans and Team Khabib criticized Chandler, comparing him to Hachiko, the dog that waited loyally for its owner until the end. Despite this, Michael Chandler voiced his frustration in multiple videos, calling McGregor “unreliable” and highlighting other issues in his behavior.

Now, approaching the twilight of his career with a 2-5 record in recent fights and retirement looming, ‘Iron’ projects more confidence than ever. He recently issued a warning to ‘The Notorious’.

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“I will say it’s going to be a big year,” Chandler said during the broadcast. “No. 1, like you said, the UFC is now on Paramount+ for the next multitude of years and also there’s a rumor going around. We can’t confirm or deny, but it does sound like I might be handing Conor McGregor a good old fashioned, passionate red, white and blue butt whooping on the south lawn of the White House sometime this summer.”

What do you think about Conor McGregor’s potential UFC return against Michael Chandler? Could Chandler be the right opponent for ‘The Notorious’, both in the Octagon and for UFC business? Share your thoughts in the comments below.