UFC CEO Dana White made a shocking announcement on Thursday night that Conor McGregor would no longer be fighting Michael Chandler at UFC 303 on June 29 in Las Vegas. This news undoubtedly sent shockwaves throughout the MMA community as McGregor has a reputation for rarely pulling out of fights. With McGregor out due to injury, the new main event will feature a light heavyweight title fight between Alex Pereira and Jiří Procházka, a matchup that is sure to captivate fans.
In addition to McGregor’s withdrawal, White also revealed two other new fights on the card. Diego Lopes will now face Brian Ortega in the co-main event, while Jamahal Hill’s injury has resulted in Carlos Ulberg stepping in to face Anthony Smith in a light heavyweight bout. The event was on pace to set a record for the UFC with a live gate of over $20 million, adding even more intrigue to the stacked fight card.
This marks the first time in McGregor’s illustrious UFC career that he has been forced to withdraw from a fight due to injury. At 35 years old, McGregor was set to make his return to the octagon after a devastating leg injury in a TKO loss to Dustin Poirier in July 2021. With a record of 1-3 in his last four fights, including losses to Poirier and Khabib Nurmagomedov, McGregor was looking to turn his fortunes around in a highly anticipated bout against Chandler.
The matchup between McGregor and Chandler has been a long time in the making, with the two fighters first engaging in heated exchanges in 2022. The rivalry escalated when the UFC announced they would coach against each other on “The Ultimate Fighter” reality series in early 2023. However, a fight date did not materialize until early 2024, with various obstacles preventing the matchup from happening sooner. Among these obstacles was a dispute over drug testing, with McGregor’s situation leading to the dissolution of the UFC’s program with the United States Anti-Doping Agency.
The Future for McGregor and Chandler
Despite the setback, McGregor has vowed to make a triumphant return to the octagon this year, promising the “Greatest Comeback in Sports History.” Meanwhile, Chandler is coming off a tough loss to Poirier and has expressed interest in potential bouts against Nate Diaz or Max Holloway. With the landscape of UFC 303 dramatically changed, fans are left wondering what the future holds for both McGregor and Chandler, and if their highly anticipated showdown will ever come to fruition.
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