"Likes to f*** with everybody" - Dana White insists Conor McGregor's return fight will be against Michael Chandler

The MMA community has been eagerly anticipating and heavily speculating regarding Conor McGregor's next fight. Evidently, McGregor has diverted his focus from the prospect of a showdown against Michael Chandler, his rival coach on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) season 31.

Lately, 'The Notorious' has honed in on an alternative target- the newly crowned 'BMF' champion Justin Gaethje. McGregor presented his case to challenge Gaethje for the honorary belt following the American's knockout victory over Dustin Poirier at UFC 291.

Meanwhile, McGregor and Gaethje have seemingly agreed to a potential clash on social media. The Irishman, never one to mince words, even painted a vivid prediction of their prospective clash inside the octagon.

Justin Gaethje vs. Conor McGregor, anyone…? 👀 pic.twitter.com/qxgPk1lLOX

During the post-fight interview at the Dana White Tuesday Night Contender Series, the UFC president addressed the recent developments, including the pivotal matter of Conor McGregor's highly anticipated return to the octagon.

Having professionally dealt with the Irishman since 2013, Dana White is well accustomed to McGregor's antics. Reflecting on the pressing query surrounding a prospective showdown with Chandler, White remarked:

"I talked to Conor yesterday or the day before and he's ready to fight. I said, 'Listen, get in shape, let's figure this out."

White added:

"Yeah yeah, he's fighting Chandler [next]. Conor likes to f*** with everybody... Especially his opponents or possible opponents."

Catch Dana White's comments below:

Dana White says that Conor McGregor will still be fighting Michael Chandler when he returns pic.twitter.com/b8AnHcAEZR

Michael Chandler fires back at Conor McGregor regarding comments that UFC has moved past the matchup

Michael Chandler has boldly confronted Conor McGregor's recent dismissal of their highly anticipated matchup, resolutely asserting that their showdown is inevitable. The former UFC lightweight title challenger, addressed the Irishman's remarks, implying that McGregor's narrative might not be entirely transparent.

During recent weeks, especially after the conclusion of UFC 291, Conor McGregor has repeatedly dismissed the notion of facing Chandler, even asserting that the UFC harbors no interest in orchestrating the matchup.

In light of these developments, Michael Chandler hinted that McGregor might not be presenting the full picture, stating:

"This dude… I remember when his words held an immense amount of weight. Just tell the truth."

Chandler further laid out a prediction for their potential clash, writing:

"Second round KO. Break his will in the first. Finish in the second."

Catch Chandler's tweets below:

This dude… I remember when his words held an immense amount of weight. Just tell the truth. twitter.com/mmajunkie/stat…

Second round KO. Break his will in the first. Finish in the second.