Dana White will find new opponent for Michael Chandler if he decides to move past Conor McGregor fight: "We’ll do whatever he wants"
UFC president Dana White spoke out about the UFC's plans with Michael Chandler in light of Conor McGregor withdrawing from their UFC 303 mega-fight on June 29 due to injury. Chandler has been waiting for his mega-payday for over two years only for the fight to be postponed just weeks before the event.
Speaking to veteran sports radio host Jim Rome, White shed light on the plans for the immediate future of 'Iron', saying:
"I think poor [Michael] Chandler want to wait for Conor McGregor, man (laughs)...But whatever he wants to do. If he wants to get a fight this summer, we’ll do whatever he wants. He’s one of the greatest athletes I’ve ever worked with. He's a good human being and I like him a lot. Whatever he wants to do, we'll figure out for him."
Here's the video of the statement, as posted by Championship Rounds on X:
One cannot blame Chandler for holding out and waiting for the McGregor fight to happen. He's already waited for more than two years, what's a few months more, as some would say. Also, a McGregor has been added to the MMA lexicon as 'Red Panty Night'. It alludes to the fact that one will get paid more than they've ever been once they sign to fight 'The Notorious', who rules the top 10 highest-paying UFC pay-per-views of all time.
Daniel Cormier suggests Michael Chandler to move on after Conor McGregor withdraws from UFC 303
While Dana White is very accommodating of Michael Chandler's choice to wait for Conor McGregor, former two-division UFC world champion and Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier suggests otherwise.
As quoted by MMA Junkie on Instagram, 'DC' said:
"I don't know that he should wait anymore. I think it's time to move off of this, and I believe that the overwhelming sentiment is that [McGregor] is done."
There's a lot of sense to what Cormier says. At 38 years old, it can be argued that Michael Chandler is running out of time before his career closes. He needs to find the right fight to bookend his remarkable career. Waiting for an "uncertain" fight might not be it. He doesn't want to be remembered as the fighter who waited too long for a bout that never happened.
But it can also be argued that, since his career is closing, one big payday is worth waiting for. McGregor represents that big payday. It's all up to Michael Chandler.