Michael Chandler or Someone Else, Conor McGregor Doesn’t Care Who He Fights at UFC White House Event
Conor McGregor isn’t fussed who steps into the Octagon with him at the UFC’s historic White House event next June. Whether it’s Michael Chandler, Islam Makhachev, or anyone else Dana White pencils in, the Irishman’s made it clear he’s ready to go.
Conor McGregor’s White House Return: No Preference, Just Back to Business
Speaking to Bloody Elbow in an exclusive interview, McGregor outlined his mindset heading into what could be the biggest stage the sport has ever produced. He explained:
“As far as Michael Chandler, like I said, I hope so, but I won’t say no to no one. The UFC will decide it and I don’t care. I just want to come back. I’m eager to come back and show my work.”
The comments come as speculation swirls over who will partner opposite McGregor for the June 14, 2026 event on the South Lawn of the White House. Chandler has been the long-anticipated opponent since they were matched for UFC 303 back in June 2024, a fight that never materialised when McGregor withdrew with a broken toe just weeks before the scheduled date. Since then, the situation has remained unresolved, with Chandler continuing to campaign for the bout whilst McGregor’s been absent from competition.
Yet McGregor isn’t sitting around waiting. He’s been training twice daily and preparing for the comeback that’s eluded him since July 2021, when he broke his leg during his third meeting with Dustin Poirier at UFC 264. His coach John Kavanagh confirmed McGregor has laid out a full training program running through to June and is showing up early most mornings to put in the work.
The date itself is locked in. McGregor told Bloody Elbow the White House event is confirmed and he’s expecting the UFC to reach out around February for contract talks and matchmaking details.
“The White House is on. We’re just waiting for full confirmation. I assume around February they’ll come reaching out and we’ll go into contract negotiations and matchmaking and all that, as they say. So I’m just staying ready in the gym, you know, two times a day. I’m motivated, I’m self‑motivated, and I for sure want a crack at that 170‑pound belt to go for the triple crown.”
That last bit reveals where McGregor’s head’s really at. He’s not content with a simple comeback fight. The former featherweight and lightweight champ wants to chase Islam Makhachev’s welterweight title and complete what he calls the “triple crown” of UFC championships. It’s an ambitious target for someone returning to the Octagon after nearly five years away, but McGregor’s never been one to think small.
He’s watched Makhachev move from lightweight to welterweight and win the title with a victory over Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322, and the respect is there.
“It was a good performance out of him and fair play, he had the courage to go up. I’m excited for it. Let’s see what happens. Let’s get back in the mix.”
Whether the UFC actually hands McGregor a title shot is another matter entirely. Dana White hasn’t confirmed any fights for the White House card yet, with matchmaking discussions not due to start until February 2026. That leaves room for Chandler or someone else entirely to slot in as McGregor’s return opponent, which doesn’t bother McGregor one bit. He’ll fight whoever’s put in front of him, as long as it’s on the South Lawn in June.
McGregor’s comeback push arrives amid a string of legal troubles that have shadowed his career over the past couple of years. In November 2024, a Dublin jury found him liable for sexually assaulting Nikita Hand in a hotel penthouse in 2018, ordering him to pay approximately £206,000 in damages alongside nearly €1 million in legal costs. He appealed the verdict in July 2025, but Ireland’s High Court dismissed all grounds of his appeal, rejecting claims that his police interview answers should have been excluded from jury proceedings.
Separately, in January 2025, a 49-year-old Wall Street executive filed a civil lawsuit alleging McGregor sexually assaulted her during Game 4 of the NBA Finals at Miami’s Kaseya Center in June 2023, claiming he slammed her face into a bathroom stall and assaulted her. That case was dropped in December 2025 when the plaintiff withdrew with prejudice. Additionally, rapper Azealia Banks ignited a social media firestorm in July 2025 when she posted screenshots of alleged unsolicited nude messages from McGregor, which he addressed with cryptic tweets but never directly confirmed or denied.
