Michael Chandler leaves the fight against Conor McGregor – for now – and makes a date with Charles Oliveira for UFC 309

17 months after UFC CEO Dana White first hinted at the fight, Michael Chandler is finally parting ways with Conor McGregor. White announced Friday that Chandler will instead face former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira in a rematch at UFC 309.

White told Barstool Sports that Oliveira vs. Chandler 2 will be a five-round co-main event at New York's Madison Square Garden on November 16.

“Chandler said, 'I'm tired of waiting. I want to fight,'” White said, noting that they might revisit the McGregor fight later.

McGregor responded to the news with a profanity-filled tirade, accusing Chandler of fleeing the fight after seeing training footage of McGregor's takedown defense.

“Chandler saw the takedown stopped and torn up and officially called off,” McGregor wrote. “Little fat bitch. I'm at the Hard Rock Hotel Florida for [Bare Knuckle FC] tonight. Got tested by DFSI earlier today. Give me my damn date!”

McGregor vs. Chandler was first proposed after White announced the athletes as rival trainers on season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter. The fight was eventually booked more than a year later as the headliner of UFC 303 on June 29 for UFC International Fight Week. McGregor pulled out weeks before the fight because a broken little toeChandler has not competed since his loss to Dustin Poirier in November 2022, mainly because he was waiting to fight McGregor.

Oliveira lost a title eliminator to Arman Tsarukyan by split decision at UFC 300 in April. Oliveira and Chandler previously met in a thrilling fight at UFC 262 in 2021. Oliveira defeated Chandler by second-round TKO to win the vacant UFC lightweight title, breaking the record for most UFC wins (17).

No main event has been officially announced for UFC 309. However, UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones and former champion Stipe Miocic are widely expected to rematch their canceled bout from last year's MSG show.