UFC CEO Dana Whit shocked the MMA community this week at a DWCS press conference by announcing that former UFC champion Conor McGregor will not be returning to the octagon this year. Fans had been eagerly awaiting McGregor’s return, as he was initially scheduled to fight Michael Chandler in a welterweight bout on June 29th. However, the fight did not materialize because McGregor had to withdraw due to a pinky-toe injury. Recently, former UFC fighter Chael Sonnen provided a possible explanation for Dana White‘s statement.

Chael Sonnen, fighter-turned-analyst, defended Dana White in his recent YouTube video by analyzing his statement. Sonnen claimed that White did not intentionally block Mcgregor’s return to the Octagon but rather does not currently have a fight card available to accommodate both Conor Mcgregor and Michael Chandler. He added, “When Dana’s coming out and telling people that Conor is not fighting in December, what Dana is saying, I think now, is, ‘ I don’t have a fight done for Conor McGregor for December. I’m not keeping a fight from you.”‘

Sonen further suggested that there is no dispute between Conor Mcgregor, Dana White, and Michael Chandler; they are simply not on the same page. McGregor echoed this sentiment after White’s statement about fighting not happening in 2023. McGregor took to Twitter, expressing his desire to fight in December. Having not competed since 2021, McGregor wants to complete his remaining two fights on his own terms.

Meanwhile, Michael Chandler has moved one step ahead of Conor McGregor by accusing Dana White of spreading lies about his fight against Conor McGregor, connecting it with White’s past statements.

Michael Chandler calls out White for spreading misinformation

The person most affected by McGregor’s hiatus is Micahel Chandler, who has been away from his family for over 18 months, continuously training for a fight that has yet to materialize. This prolonged uncertainty has made Chandler impatient, as he eagerly awaits a fight date. In a recent interview with TMZ Sports, when asked about White’s statement, Chandler dismissed White’s remarks, saying, “There’s no reason why Conor can’t fight this year. Obviously. I can fight this year. I think it comes down to scheduling. December makes a lot of sense.”

Chandler further argued that December would be the ideal month to cap off the year with a major pay-per-view event. He also took aim at Dana White’s history of spreading misinformation to drum up excitement for fights, a tactic White has employed in the past. “IronMike” said, “His job is sometimes to give you the exact information, sometimes to give you misinformation.”

Chael Sonnen, however, believes he has accurately interpreted Dana White’s motives, which directly contradicts Chandler’s claims. Ultimately, only time will reveal whose prediction regarding the Conor Mcgregor-Chandler fight proves accurate. Stay tuned.