Conor McGregor: Irishman's UFC return not set for June, says Dana White

Conor McGregor filmed The Ultimate Fighter with expected opponent Michael Chandler in early 2023

UFC president Dana White has denied a date has been set for Conor McGregor's return to the UFC after the Irishman announced he would fight on 29 June.

McGregor, 35, has not fought since losing to Dustin Poirier in July 2021, in part due to the broken leg he suffered in that loss.

Asked about McGregor's comeback on the The Pat McAfee Show, White said it would happen "eventually".

"Hopefully this year. There is no date. I'm hoping for [autumn]," White said.

On 31 December, McGregor released a short video announcing his return to action against American Michael Chandler at 13st 3lb (185lb, 83.9kg).

McGregor is a two-weight champion in the UFC at featherweight and lightweight but has not fought regularly since losing to Khabib Nurmagomedov in their lightweight title fight in 2018.

The Dubliner has competed just three times since then, beating Donald Cerrone but losing twice in a row to long-time rival Poirier.

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McGregor has cut a frustrated figure on the sidelines at times and caused controversy in 2022 when it emerged he had withdrawn himself from the UFC's anti-doping programme run by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (Usada) as he recovered from his leg injury.

Chandler and McGregor were opposing coaches on the UFC's reality TV series The Ultimate Fighter in early 2023 and it was thought they would fight once the series finished.

But McGregor did not re-enter the testing pool until October 2023 and the UFC has since parted ways with Usada and set up a new anti-doping programme.

Chandler, who turns 38 in April, has not competed since November 2022 as he has waited for McGregor to make his return.