Dana White says Michael Chandler can ‘wait’ for Conor McGregor

UFC CEO Dana White addressed the elephant in the room: Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler.

The pair of UFC lightweight superstars have been eager to fight for nearly a year, this following the summer’s conclusion of the TUF 31 season.

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Dana White has been quiet surrounding the bout and when McGregor, the former UFC double champion, will return from his extended layoff. But White, who has run the UFC since 2001, did make a guarantee regarding McGregor’s future.

The latest episode of the Full Send Podcast featured White, who addressed various topics throughout the hour-long interview, including McGregor.

“He 100% fights next year,” Dana White said regarding when McGregor may return.

White did not confirm nor deny, the status of McGregor-Chandler but did elude to it potentially happening whenever both wanted it to.

“We will see,” White said. “I mean, we’ll see the timing of when it goes down. The good thing for guys like Chandler, and you know there’s a lot of sh*t talk about fighter pay and all that other sh*t, you don’t see these guys hurrying up to fight…Chandler can hang out and wait for f***ing Conor.”

McGregor is expected to remain in the USADA testing pool (despite the partnership’s conclusion at the beginning of 2024) for six months, which puts him in a potential summer timeframe for a return.

White said although the potential fight may be delayed, this is nothing new for those who follow the sport religiously.

“Jon Jones takes off for f***ing years,” White said.

White said with the star power both men have, specifically Chandler, timing doesn’t matter.

“When you think about Chandler, Chander was fighting in f***ing Bellator, right,” White said. “Now Chandler can just sit around and take his time, wait for Conor however long it takes. These guys are all in good positions [financially] to wait for the right time, the right fight.”

What are your thoughts on Dana White’s comments about the latest regarding McGregor-Chandler? Let us know, Penn Nation!