Michael Chandler Ready to Move on from Conor McGregor for BMF Title Challenge at White House

After chasing the Conor McGregor fight for multiple years, Michael Chandler hopes to fight for the BMF belt as a suitable alternative.

Michael Chandler Ready to Move on from Conor McGregor for BMF Title Challenge at White House

Michael Chandler wants to fight Max Holloway after Conor McGregor snub (via Yahoo Sports, Instagram)

The UFC’s White House event is shaping up to be a historic moment of national significance rarely seen in combat sports. Michael Chandler, an American and former Bellator lightweight champion, has expressed interest in competing on this stage. Early talks linked him to Conor McGregor, but the UFC is moving in a different direction. This has led Chandler to turn his attention towards Max Holloway’s BMF title instead.

The White House event drew major attention when McGregor announced his UFC return there, immediately catching Chandler’s eye. Chandler has unfinished business with the Irishman from their canceled UFC 303 bout, a bout that was highly anticipated by both fighters. Both had agreed to the June 14th matchup and were confident about facing each other, adding extra significance to a showdown.

UFC CEO Dana White has made it clear that a McGregor-Chandler matchup is not being considered for the White House event, stating the fight is long past. With ‘The Notorious One’ off the table, Chandler has shifted focus. Now that Max Holloway will face Charles Oliveira at UFC 326, he sees the winner as the perfect opponent for his White House fight, offering a path to his first victory since 2022 in the UFC.

I got my eye on that one, because I think Max gets the win. I think Oliveira is coming off a pretty devastating knockout and turned around real quick, jumped into another training camp. I got my eyes set on that BMF belt if Max wins, so we’ll see.

Michael Chandler via MMA Junkie

Chandler has struggled in his last three fights against top-ranked opponents, marking a challenging period in his career. He lost to Dustin Poirier via rear-naked choke at UFC 281, followed by a unanimous decision defeat to Charles Oliveira in their rematch. In his last outing, he was knocked out by Paddy Pimblett at UFC 314, making a White House fight a crucial turning point in his professional career.

Fighting for the undisputed UFC title could become doubtful for Chandler if he loses his next fight, given recent setbacks. Although he has not competed in the UFC since April 2025, the former Bellator champion has stayed active under the Real American Freestyle banner. At RAF 03, Chandler defeated UFC veteran Chad Mendes via decision, earning his first win in combat sports since losing to Poirier in 2022.

It remains to be seen if Chandler will be offered a shot at the BMF title on the White House card. Max Holloway has been vocal about his interest in fighting at the event, citing the lack of American champions in the UFC as a reason. However, it is still unclear if the Hawaiian veteran will defend the championship at UFC 326, which could ultimately determine whether a matchup against Michael Chandler becomes possible.

Michael Chandler weighs in on Paddy Pimblett’s performance at UFC 324

The UFC 324 main event featured Justin Gaethje facing Paddy Pimblett in a highly anticipated lightweight bout. Pimblett, six years younger than Gaethje, entered the fight as the favorite and brought speed and confidence against the veteran. Despite Gaethje’s experience and power, Pimblett performed impressively, landing significant strikes and staying competitive throughout the contest.

Michael Chandler praises Paddy Pimblett
Michael Chandler praises Paddy Pimblett (via MMA Fighting)

Having lost to Pimblett at UFC 314, Chandler has long regarded the Liverpudlian as championship material. He has consistently highlighted Pimblett’s skill set, striking ability, and competitive mindset as traits befitting a title contender. Recently, Chandler also commended Pimblett’s performance at UFC 324, noting how the younger fighter stayed resilient and executed his game plan effectively.

Dealing with the punches that he got landed on him, getting rocked, standing back up, still landing punches against Gaethje, going the full 25 minutes. It was a good, fun, knockdown, drag-out war.

Michael Chandler told Mike Bohn

Chandler’s assessment of the Gaethje‑Pimblett fight highlighted the unexpected competitiveness the Liverpudlian brought against a seasoned veteran. On paper, Gaethje was favored to win, but Pimblett created moments that suggested he could reach the next level. Michael Chandler emphasized that the Liverpudlian went out and showed his toughness, reinforcing his reputation as a resilient contender.

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