Mauricio Ruffy alleges that Conor McGregor was offered a spot on the Freedom 250 June 14 White House card to fight him but turned it down, leading the UFC to make a fight with Michael Chandler instead.
Following McGregor’s refusal, the UFC officially booked Michael Chandler vs. Mauricio Ruffy for the June 14 event. Chandler, who has been waiting for McGregor for over two years, reportedly accepted the Ruffy fight to avoid being left off the card. Ruffy, who recently entered into the lightweight top 10 rankings after a knockout of Rafael Fiziev, claimed that while he was ready for the McGregor fight, Conor passed on the opportunity. McGregor has publicly stated he believes the UFC is “holding him back” to maximize the gate and PPV revenue for his eventual return. Reports indicate he could headline at International Fight Week (July 11, 2026) in Las Vegas. However, Ruffy said McGregor could have fought earlier.Â
“Conor McGregor talked about the possibility of a fight, opened up the possibility of fighting. It was discussed, but he’s the one who makes the decisions and he made the decision not to fight. I also didn’t have high expectations about it,” Ruffy saidÂ