White suggests brawl between Chandler and McGregor at TUF filming
Dana White gave a bit of a preview of what’s been going on during the ongoing TUF 31 filming featuring Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler.
The upcoming 31st season of The Ultimate Fighter reality show features UFC superstar Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler as opposing coaches. And according to UFC president Dana White, things have already escalated to a point where both men are no longer as cordial with each other.
Dana White says "things started escalating" between TUF coaches Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler
— MMAFighting.com (@MMAFighting) March 5, 2023
"They do not like each other now. A lot of s*** went down on Friday."
Full #UFC285 scrum ▶️ https://t.co/wbRKimmrd9 pic.twitter.com/sb6Ncvmmty
“Chandler and Conor were very respectful to each other. And then, some things started escalating that you’ll see on the show. And yeah, they do not like each other now. A lot of shit went down on Friday,” White said during his UFC 285 media scrum.
White didn’t give any specifics but also admitted he missed a step in terms of getting a hold of the situation.
“The stuff that happened shouldn’t have happened and… I’m getting old, boys. I’m getting old. I would’ve been in there sooner back in the old days, but… yeah. Not good.”
Chandler made similar comments during his media scrum earlier that night.
“Conor and I have a lot of mutual respect for one another, but ultimately, I don’t know if we like each other as much as I thought we were going to. And the good thing is, we get to settle it with four-ounce gloves under a certain ruleset in a contest later on this year. And I can’t wait to do it,” he said.
“What has happened thus far has been a lot of fun, and I can’t wait for you all to see it later on this year on ESPN. My guys winning and losing fights, his guys winning and losing fights. Us being emotionally invested in the wins and losses of our fighters, ultimately spilling over into our own emotional turmoil, for better or worse, and enjoying the process.
“So it’s been a lot of fun, yes. But a lot of tension.”
TUF 31 will premiere on May 30 on ESPN. Part of the cast are UFC alums such as Jason Knight, Austin Hubbard, and season 27 cast member Brad Katona.
About the author: Milan Ordoñez has been covering combat sports since 2012 and has been part of the Bloody Elbow staff since 2016. He’s also competed in amateur mixed martial arts and submission grappling tournaments. (full bio)