Who Will Conor McGregor Face At UFC White House If Michael Chandler Fight Falls Through?

Rumours of Conor McGregor’s return at UFC White House continue to gather momentum, with the former two-division king set to face Michael Chandler.

However, should the Chandler fight fall through, who else could McGregor potentially fight on the South Lawn?

Conor McGregor Set For Michael Chandler Clash At UFC White House

It looks very much like MMA fans are going to see Conor McGregor back inside a UFC octagon again, with the Irishman heavily rumoured to be facing Michael Chandler at UFC White House this summer.

Although no fights for UFC White House have been formally announced by UFC President Dana White, McGregor vs Chandler is one of the most eagerly anticipated match-ups of the card, should it go ahead.

McGregor’s UFC White House super-fight with Chandler would likely serve as the main event too. Perhaps even for a special belt to commemorate the ground-breaking UFC event on the South Lawn with US President Donald Trump presenting the belt to the winner.

For now this is all speculation, but McGregor is back in training and is adamant that he’ll be facing Chandler at UFC White House come June. Chandler is already preparing for McGregor too, and is confident the fight will finally happen once and for all.

Several other big names have expressed their desire to fight at UFC White House, including Jon Jones, Ilia Topuria, Alex Pereira and Islam Makhachev to name but a few.

https://twitter.com/ChampRDS/status/1995293150496096348

White has admitted he would love McGregor to headline the event, with the former two-weight simultaneous world champion also keen to return to the cage for this monumental night of action.

McGregor’s chances of fighting at UFC White House may even have increased further, after he strengthened his relationship with Trump following a $23million investment from the US President’s family into one of his own entities.

This has led fans to believe that McGregor will most definitely fight at UFC White House, provided he doesn’t have any mishaps between now and then.

Chandler is likely to be the opponent and is undoubtedly the front-runner for McGregor’s return, but isn’t the only option ‘Notorious’ has for his impending return to competition.

🚨BREAKING: Conor McGregor vs Michael Chandler is OFFICIALLY CONFIRMED for #UFCWhiteHouse on June 14th, 2026 on the White House South Lawn.

Happy New Years UFC Fans!🎉 pic.twitter.com/ScM44QR3kg

— Lucky MMA (@luckyfunmma) January 1, 2026

Who Will McGregor Face At UFC White House If Chandler Falls Through?

If Conor McGregor’s UFC White House fight with Michael Chandler falls through, there are several other big names who would face the Irishman at the drop of a hat.

UFC commentator Jon Anik has named two possible fights for McGregor that he would rather see over the Chandler match-up. Both fights make sense too, and are credible options for the 37-year-old upon his return.

Nate Diaz

The most obvious fight for McGregor at UFC White House, if it isn’t Chandler, is former foe Nate Diaz. McGregor and Diaz have shared the octagon on two occasions, both winning one fight each. A trilogy between the pair to settle their rivalry makes total sense.

Diaz is currently retired from MMA and isn’t under contract with the UFC. However, he has expressed his desire at facing McGregor for a third time, with the pair finally settling the score once and for all with a third and final fight.

Mauricio Ruffy

Another possible option is Mauricio Ruffy. The Brazilian MMA fighter faces Rafael Fiziev at UFC 325, and will jump into the top 15 rankings at lightweight if he is successful.

Conor McGregor responds to Nate Diaz via. Instagram Stories

“Hahaha my bro! Iconic rivalry must be settled.”#UFC #MMA https://t.co/EEj5DG055P pic.twitter.com/3l55yQe92R

— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) March 17, 2024

Although not a household name, Ruffy would be a credible opponent for McGregor, that is for sure.

Max Holloway

Another is Max Holloway. This seems the most unlikely of any of the names mentioned, given the former UFC featherweight king is ranked at #3 in the current 155-pound standings and is closing in on the UFC Lightweight Title himself.

That being said, McGregor holds a win over Holloway, with the Hawaiian potentially wanting revenge over the Irishman. Holloway is also the current BMF Title holder, and looks to be putting it on the line against Charles Oliveira next.

Of the names mentioned, Chandler remains the most likely. If that falls through, then McGregor vs Diaz is undoubtedly the most intriguing match-up for UFC White House this summer.