- Dana White denies saying that Michael Chandler is next for Conor McGregor.
- Oddsmakers have listed McGregor as the -155 favorite to beat Chandler (+135).
- White has talked favorably about a potential McGregor vs Chandler matchup several times in the past.
Conor McGregor vs Michael Chandler? Not so fast says, Dana White.
The UFC boss says the media misrepresented his thoughts on a McGregor vs Chandler bout and claims that he never “ever” said that.
White’s denial came after ESPN’s Charlie Moynihan tweeted that Chandler is likely McGregor’s next opponent, in reference to a new and yet-to-be-released ESPN MMA interview between Brett Okamoto and the UFC boss.
McGregor’s Next Fight Likely Against Michael Chandler?
And @TheNotoriousMMA next fight is likely against @MikeChandlerMMA https://t.co/bJh9Oi3RGV
— Charlie Moynihan (@MoynihanCharles) December 9, 2022
Despite White refuting the claims, the top UFC betting sites have re-opened the betting odds for that possible lightweight showdown. And according to the online sportsbook BetOnline, McGregor is the -155 betting favorite against Chandler who opened at +135 odds.
That means that a $100 bet on McGregor would yield $166.67 if the Irishman is victorious against the former Bellator lightweight king. Meanwhile, a $100 wager would pay out $235 if Iron Mike upsets The Notorious in a lightweight showdown.
This isn’t the first time that a bout between McGregor and Chandler is being talked about. Nor is this the first time that Dana White has talked about this potential fight. He may not have said that it has been booked but White has always sounded like he wants it to happen.
Who Wouldn’t Want to See That Fight Happen?
Dana White on a potential Michael Chandler vs. Conor McGregor fight: "Who the hell wouldn't want to see that fight?"#UFC274 | Full video: https://t.co/vMOKyyeAFg pic.twitter.com/ZD3l6u631x
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) May 8, 2022
It can be recalled that White told TMZ last June that a fight between McGregor and Chandler made a lot of sense. Per White:
One month earlier, Chandler called out McGregor after defeating Tony Ferguson at UFC 274. After the event, White was asked about a potential showdown between the two lightweight superstars. White looked enthusiastic when he said: “Who the hell wouldn’t want to see that fight?”
Back then, the top UFC sportsbooks first opened the betting lines for a McGregor vs Chandler bout and at that point, Chandler opened as the -130 favorite and McGregor the +110 bottom dog. But with Chandler suffering a submission loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 281 last November 12th, the odds have flipped and McGregor is now favored to beat Chandler.
Michael Chandler is Not the Only Opponent Linked to Conor McGregor
Chandler is however not the only opponent that is linked to McGregor right now. When you look at the various futures odds boards at the top UFC sportsbooks, McGregor is also listed as a -255 betting favorite to beat Tony Ferguson (+215) in a potential bout. The Irishman is also currently listed as a massive at +450 bottom dog against former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman.
McGregor has not fought since suffering a leg injury during his third fight with Poirier. Since then, he has been busy working his way back to shape, and getting bulked up as well. The Notorious has looked like a welterweight ( or even bigger ) in his recent pictures and he too has hinted before that he could return as at a heavier weight class.
However, if the Irishman does return to lightweight, there’s no doubt that Michael Chandler would be an ideal opponent for him. Chandler has the kind of style that has made McGregor look like a gold mine in the past. As for Dana White, don’t take him for his word because when he says no, it’s sometimes a yes.
