The UFC has an ambitious plan for its special event at the White House, but Dana White lowered expectations about two of the most talked-about names: Conor McGregor and Jon Jones. In particular, he ruled out that McGregor vs. Michael Chandler is part of the project, implying that that train "passed" and that today the priority is to build a reliable card.
The background is less glamorous and more practical: big stars mean big risks. Injuries, time out of competition and extra-sporting commitments turn any announcement into a bet. White, in that sense, avoided selling smoke and admitted that there are no close fights because the UFC wants to order its immediate schedule first before putting names on such a symbolic event.
On a business level, the message is twofold. On the one hand, the event is protected: better to promise little and deliver, than to announce too soon and have to improvise. On the other hand, the protagonists themselves are pressured: if they want to be there, they must align themselves with the reality of the company and arrive in good condition.
In short: the "White House card" will continue to generate rumors, but the UFC wants narrative control. And, for the moment, McGregor vs. Chandler does not enter the script.