Michael Bisping, a former UFC middleweight champion, shared his take on Conor McGregor’s planned return to the octagon at a proposed UFC White House event in July 2026. Bisping believes McGregor, absent since 2021, can beat Michael Chandler, whom he called “washed” after a loss to Paddy Pimblett. However, Bisping questions whether McGregor can regain his 2016 form. McGregor logged his first UFC drug test of 2025, signaling a comeback.
Bisping’s View on McGregor’s Return
On his YouTube channel, Bisping said:
“He doesn’t need to fight, and fair play to the guy. I do respect the fact that he still wants to fight because, as he said, and as I know, there’s no other feeling like it. Will he still be the same Conor McGregor? I very much doubt it. 2016 is nine years ago. That’s crazy. Things move on, simple as that.”
McGregor, 37, logged his first UFC drug test of 2025 on August 1, 2025, re-entering the testing pool after exiting earlier this year. He’s eyeing the White House event, announced by President Donald Trump for America’s 250th Independence Day. Bisping said:
“McGregor’s getting a little bit older, but if he wants to come back and he wants to fight on the White House, great. Fair play. Who would he fight? Well, of course, there is the match with Michael Chandler, and it would just be mental if that fight with Michael Chandler actually ended up materializing after Michael Chandler sat on the sidelines for what feels like a goddamn eternity.”
Bisping favors McGregor, stating:
“Him vs. Chandler, yes an interesting fight, 100 percent – certainly a fight that I would favor Conor McGregor to win. I think it would be a perfect opponent to come back to and face after so much time away, because the version of Michael Chandler that we saw against Paddy Pimblett was washed. He was done. He was over the hill. He looked terrible.”
Conor McGregor, from Dublin, Ireland, won the UFC featherweight title in 2015 by knocking out Jose Aldo in 13 seconds and the lightweight title in 2016 against Eddie Alvarez. His knockouts of Dustin Poirier in 2014 and Chad Mendes in 2015 made him a global star. His last fight was a TKO loss to Poirier in July 2021 at UFC 264, where he broke his leg. His record is 22-6. McGregor’s legal troubles include a 2018 arrest for throwing a dolly at a bus, a 2019 guilty plea for disorderly conduct in Miami, and a November 2024 civil case loss, ordering him to pay Nikita Hand nearly €250,000 for a 2018 assault. His appeal was denied on July 31, 2025, by Justices Isobel Kennedy, Brian O’Moore, and Patrick MacGrath, with €1.3 million in legal costs added in December 2024, both unpaid pending a possible Supreme Court appeal.
Michael Chandler, 39, is from Missouri and turned pro in 2009. He won the Bellator lightweight title three times, beating Benson Henderson and Brent Primus. In UFC, he debuted in 2021 with a knockout of Dan Hooker but lost to Charles Oliveira, Justin Gaethje, and Dustin Poirier. His latest fight was a unanimous decision loss to Paddy Pimblett in November 2024 at UFC 309, making his record 23-9. Chandler coached against McGregor on The Ultimate Fighter 31 in 2023, but their planned fight at UFC 303 was canceled due to McGregor’s toe injury.
The White House event, if it happens, would be a historic UFC card. McGregor’s four-year absence and Chandler’s recent loss make this a high-stakes matchup.
McGregor’s drug test means he could be cleared to fight by February 2026, fitting the White House event timeline. Bisping’s comments suggest McGregor has an edge, but his long layoff raises doubts. Chandler, coming off a loss, needs a big win to stay relevant. If this fight happens, it could draw huge attention, but both fighters must prove they can still perform at the top level.
