Dana White provides grim update on slated Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler fight: “It’s hard to reel these guys in”

Dana White provided a rather grim update on the slated Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler fight during tonight’s UFC Vegas 74 post-fight press conference.

McGregor and Chandler are supposed to collide later this year after serving as opposing coaches on Season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter.

However, as of this moment, Conor McGregor has yet to submit his first drug testing sample to USADA. With that, the Irishman’s planned return to the Octagon still can’t take place for at least six more months.

During tonight’s UFC Vegas 74 post-fight press conference, Dana White was asked if he was concerned that the planned McGregor vs. Chandler fight could fall through. The UFC President responded with the following remarks:

“I never get concerned. We have a massive roster of people that want to come in and people that are ready to fight and people that want to be Conor McGregor. And be at that level. It’s like for the last 20 years everybody said, ‘Oh my God, what are you guys going to do when Chuck Liddell retires? You guys are f*cked. Oh my God. GSP. Anderson Silva. This and that.’ This is a professional sport. People come in here, they achieve great things and they retire. You can never worry about that type of stuff. It is what it is. It’s part of the game. And it’s my job and my team’s job to find new talent and build them.”

Dana White continued (h/t MMAJunkie):

“First of all, Conor called me a couple days ago and loved the first episode of ‘The Ultimate Fighter,’ and saying how happy he was to be a part of it. And I think being here and part of the environment and everything else, he felt it again and felt like he wants to get back to fight. The one thing you guys have to understand is this kid has so much money. It’s like Khabib now. These guys got sh*tloads of money and it’s hard to reel these guys in and get them to get in and fight.”

Conor McGregor (22-6 MMA) has of course been out of action ever since suffering a broken leg in his trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier in July of 2021.

Do you think we will see McGregor vs. Chandler in 2023 after hearing Dana White’s latest comments?