This week, UFC CEO Dana White shocked MMA fans when he announced after the DWCS (Dana White’s Contender Series) press conference that Conor McGregor will not fight this year. This news dashed the hopes of fans eagerly awaiting McGregor’s return against ranked #6 lightweight contender Michael Chandler, a fight that was initially scheduled for June 29. McGregor had to pull out of due to a pinky-toe injury.

After Dana White’s statement, the whole world was left wondering: Is this fight really happening? Now, Michael Chandler has come forward to share his thoughts on the true meaning behind White’s words.

Michael Chandler debunks Dana White’s claims

The person most affected by Conor McGregor’s injury is Michael Chandler, who has spent over 18 months waiting for McGregor. ‘Iron’ has been training for this fight while staying away from home and family. The fight, which now seems far off, has become a distant goal. Recently, Chandler appeared in an interview with TMZ Sports, where he was asked about Dana White’s statement. Chandler dismissed White’s remarks, saying, “The’s no reason why Conor can’t fight this year. Obviously. I can fight this year. I think it comes down to scheduling. December makes a lot of sense.”

Chandler further gave countless reasons why December would be the perfect month for the UFC to end the year with a big pay-per-view event. He emphasized Dana White’s habit of making misleading statements to maintain hype for fights, as he has done in the past. Chandler added, “That were just absolutely false in press conferences and whatnot. That’s his job. His job is sometimes to give you the exact information, sometimes to give you misinformation. So, saying that the fight isn’t happening this year might mean that the fight is happening this year,” referring to White’s previous statement about big fights.

However, this is the first time Michael Chandler has spoken positively about the fight happening. In the past few weeks, Chandler also seemed distressed about the fight, giving signs that he might not be fighting McGregor and posting a long reality check message to Conor McGregor through social media.

Michael Chandler’s warning to Conor McGregor

Conor McGregor, once a mascot of the UFC, has been out of action for more than three years since he broke his leg in a fight against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264. Since then, he has been trying to bounce back from his hiatus and make a comeback, but he has been sidetracked by other ventures such as his Hollywood debut and issues with anti-doping agencies.

McGregor’s attempt to return was fulfilled when his fight against Michael Chandler was announced for UFC 303. The fight was initially set up during TUF 31, but multiple delays pushed it back. Now, after hearing Dana White’s statement, Chandler couldn’t control his frustration and took to X to express his feelings, showing Conor McGregor that the UFC no longer revolves around him. He stated, ” Ah conor, the sport will move on and thrive without you. Put to bed. Laid to rest. Soon a distant memory. You’ve vastly overestimated your importance inside of this game for almost a decade. Godspeed.”

However, this is not the first time Chandler has given McGregor a reality check. In the past, Chandler warned McGregor multiple times that he would fight another opponent if McGregor didn’t return soon for their highly anticipated fight.

What are your thoughts on Dana White’s statement? Do you really think he is bluffing about Conor Mcgregor’s return to the Octagon this year, or is he trying to push McGregor into getting his act together, given his past actions that have kept him out of the Octagon? Comment your thoughts below.