The much-anticipated fight between Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler is no longer a sure thing.
Appearing on Barstool‘s Spinnin Backfist, UFC president Dana White was asked if Chandler was still going to be McGregor’s opponent for his next fight.
“No,” White answered. “Chandler said ‘I’m done waiting, I want to fight for real.'”
White would go on to clarify that McGregor is not going to fight Chandler in his return to the UFC and did not rule out a potential fight in the future.
Instead, Chandler will go up against Charles Olivera in a five-round co-main event at UFC 309, which will be held in Madison Square Garden in November.
McGregor was scheduled to fight Chandler at UFC 303 in June but had to pull out after injuring his toe during training.
White later told reporters McGregor will fight again in 2025.
McGregor, 35, has not fought since he broke his leg in a bout against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July of 2021.
White has been on the record saying that he would announce a McGregor fight when the time is right, even if the veteran keeps calling him asking to get on a card.
In an interview with Sportsnet’s Aaron Bronsteter, White elaborated on his decision.
“You can imagine after I said that Conor was blowing me up,” White said. “When we get to a point where we’re setting a fight and I believe that Conor McGregor fight is going to happen, I will announce it. As of right now, I believe that Conor will not fight this year.
“Conor is saying he wants to fight, he wants to fight in December? We’ll see how it plays out.”
McGregor’s last victory in the octagon was in January 2020 at UFC 246, when he earned a second-round knockout over Donald Cerrone.