Michael Chandler’s long-awaited return to the Octagon won’t come against Conor McGregor. Instead, Chandler will get a rematch against Charles ‘Do Bronx’ Oliveira in a crucial lightweight contest on Nov. 17 at UFC 309.

Barstool’s Robbie Fox was the first to report this news Friday night.

Chandler isn’t necessarily out of the sweepstakes for a ‘Red Panty Night’ with McGregor in early 2025. He simply didn’t want to wait around anymore, and that’s more than understandable.

Chandler started filming The Ultimate Fighter with McGregor in February of 2023. Nineteen months later, we still don’t have a fight date for Chandler-McGregor.

It was supposed to go down at UFC 303 on June 29, but McGregor pulled out of a contest for the first time in his career 16 days out due to a broken pinkie toe.

The 38-year-old Chandler (23-8 MMA, 2-3 UFC) hasn’t fought since losing to Dustin Poirier via third-round submission at UFC 281 in November of 2022. Meanwhile, McGregor hasn’t competed since breaking his leg in a TKO loss to Poirier at the end of the first round at UFC 264 on July 10 of 2021.

McGregor is mired in a 1-3 slump in his last four UFC fights and hasn’t tasted victory since besting Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone via 40-second KO at UFC 246 in January of 2020.

DraftKings opened Oliveira (34-10-0-1 MMA, 22-10-0-1 UFC) as a -198 favorite early Friday night. By early Saturday morning, the Brazilian was a -218 ‘chalk,’ leaving Chandler as a +180 underdog.

After Khabib Nurmagomedov retired and left the lightweight title vacated, Oliveira faced Chandler for the 155-pound strap at UFC 262 on May 15 of 2021. Chandler nearly KO’d Oliveira late in Round 1, but ‘Do Bronx’ quickly recovered between rounds and ended up scoring a KO on Chandler only 19 seconds in Round 2.

It’s anyone’s guess who McGregor will now fight in early 2025. I’d say there’s probably five legit candidates. In no particular order, I’ll guess the possibilities include Poirer, Nate Diaz, Justin Gaethje, Chandler or Jorge ‘Gamebred’ Masvidal, who has recently expressed his intentions to make his Octagon return. There’s plenty of animosity between all five potential dance partners, and all five carry big names.

If I had it my way, I’d want McGregor’s next fight to be against:

1-Diaz

2-Gaethje

3-Masvidal or Poirier

5-Chandler