Conor McGregor‘s comeback has been scrapped and Michael Chandler has decided to return to action with a chance to avenge one of his losses against a former foe. But why did Dana White do that to Conor McGregor after the fight was years in the making? Well, besides the fact that Iron’s been waiting on the sidelines for well over two years to get his hands on that big-money fight against the Irishman, Chandler recently revealed that McGregor may have overestimated his status in the UFC.

UFC 309, besides having Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic in the main event, will have fans witness a co-main event rematch clash between Michael Chandler and Charles Oliveira. He claimed that this fight was a title eliminator of sorts, as he turned his focus from the ‘red panty night’ to the lightweight strap. So where does Conor McGregor’s return stand? Well, Chandler claims that Dana White and Co. aren’t just focused on ‘The Notorious’ because they have a whole new roster to look out for and other matchups to make.

“The UFC needs nobody. The UFC will continue to build stars, continue to put on shows every single weekend [and] continue to keep pushing the envelope and growing whether they have Conor, me, or anybody else,” Michael Chandler stated on ‘Bussin’ With The Boys’ podcast. “There’s a freedom in knowing that you’re disposable… you don’t get too high on yourself because success is rented every day and that rent is due every single day.”

Interestingly, Michael Chandler confirmed that when Conor McGregor claimed that he was out of the loop about his fight against the former Bellator champion, he didn’t lie. It was the choice of the UFC brass to keep him off the grid, which made him unaware that ‘Iron’ had decided to stop waiting for him and fight Charles Oliveira. The reason for that – the UFC doesn’t seem to trust the Irishman with information.

“He definitely did not know [about him fighting Oliveira] because ultimately he’s not a trusted individual with information… [if he knew about it], it would have leaked. He’d have done his own video,” Chandler added. Meanwhile, Dana White has doubled down on no return for Conor McGregor in 2024, which led an insider to insinuate that the UFC CEO may have another opponent for the former ‘champ champ’ in mind.

Is Conor McGregor going to fight Nate Diaz instead of Michael Chandler?

One of the sharpest minds in MMA, UFC legend and Hall of Famer Chael Sonnen, has made a name for himself by predicting how Dana White operates behind the scenes. And let’s be honest—he’s usually spot on! Following the news that the much-anticipated Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler fight was scrapped, ‘The American Gangster’ had a revelation that something bigger might be in store for ‘The Notorious.’ And naturally, Sonnen started throwing around names of potential opponents for McGregor’s return, and one name that sparked immediate interest was none other than Nate Diaz.

“Possible suspects for Conor are starting to come up. Nate Diaz’s name got thrown around, and again, I’m with Brendan [Schaub], I’m with Dom[inick Cruz]. Jorge Masvidal’s name also gets thrown into the mix,” Sonnen shared on his YouTube channel. “We’re all reaching out to our inside sources, trying to figure out what’s happening. And the word that came back, accurate or not, is that Conor’s next fight won’t be any sooner than June of next year.”

Could this mean McGregor vs. Diaz III is on the horizon? Fans have been clamoring for the trilogy for years, and McGregor himself has never been shy about his desire to settle the score with Diaz.

What do you think of Sonnen’s assessment? Could we be on the verge of seeing one of the most anticipated trilogies in UFC history? And how do you feel about Michael Chandler’s recent comments on McGregor? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!