The timeline for Conor McGregor’s return to the Octagon appears to have been pushed back.
UFC CEO Dana White indicated that the long-awaited fight between “The Notorious” and Michael Chandler still doesn’t have a confirmed date.
“Eventually. Hopefully this year,” White said Wednesday on “The Pat McAfee Show” when asked if the fight was still in the works.
White added, “There is no date. I’m hoping for the fall.”
McGregor announced in December that his return fight with the promotion would take place on the UFC’s International Fight Week pay-per-view card on June 29 in Las Vegas. The matchup would be contested at middleweight, according to the Irishman.
The UFC has yet to confirm McGregor’s return date or the card for International Fight Week, which usually takes place during the first half of July.
McGregor, a former two-division champion, hasn’t fought since breaking his leg in a trilogy match against Dustin Poirier in July 2021. Chandler is also in the midst of a prolonged absence from competition following a November 2022 loss to Poirier.
Chandler and McGregor were pitted against each other on the 31st season of “The Ultimate Fighter” that aired in 2023.
McGregor returned to the anti-doping program last October and is supposed to undergo six months of testing before returning to competition. There was speculation that his return fight could land on April’s UFC 300 card.
