Conor McGregor will now not combat Michael Chandler at UFC 303 on June 29 in Las Vegas, UFC president Dana White stated Thursday evening.
McGregor (22-6) was scheduled to headline the occasion however has withdrawn due to damage. It is the primary time in McGregor’s storied UFC profession that he has pulled out of a combat for any motive.
The brand new important occasion is a light-weight heavyweight title combat between Alex Pereira and Jiří Procházka, in line with White.
White additionally introduced two extra fights to the cardboard: Diego Lopes will face Brian Ortega within the co-main occasion, and Carlos Ulberg will now combat Anthony Smith in a light-weight heavyweight bout after Jamahal Hill, who was slated to combat within the co-main occasion, was dominated out because of damage.
In keeping with White, the sellout occasion was on tempo to set a UFC document with a reside gate of greater than $20 million. UFC has not introduced whether or not the nontitle welterweight bout between McGregor and Chandler shall be rescheduled.
Chandler appeared to take the announcement in stride, acknowledging the uncertainty and “threat” of going through McGregor in a social media publish on Friday.
McGregor, 35, was set to return to competitors for the primary time since he suffered a damaged leg in a TKO loss to Dustin Poirier in July 2021. The previous featherweight and light-weight champion has fought solely 4 instances since a blockbuster boxing match towards Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2017. He’s 1-3 in these appearances, with two losses to Poirier and a submission defeat to Khabib Nurmagomedov in a 2018 title combat.
The June combat being referred to as off is a disappointing chapter in what has develop into one thing of a saga between McGregor and Chandler, a former champion in Bellator MMA, who first referred to as out McGregor in earnest in 2022. UFC introduced the 2 would coach towards one another on “The Final Fighter” actuality collection in early 2023, which went forward as scheduled that spring. A combat date didn’t come collectively till early this 12 months, nevertheless, for varied causes.
UFC’s former drug testing companion, the USA Anti-Doping Company, claimed McGregor’s state of affairs led to the dissolution of its UFC program, because the promotion needed to grant McGregor an exemption of a six-month testing requirement following his leg damage. UFC chief enterprise officer Hunter Campbell denied that assertion and demanded a public apology.
UFC has since partnered with a number of different companies to run its drug program.
McGregor, of Eire, promised in a social media publish that his return to the Octagon this 12 months can be the beginning of the “Biggest Comeback in Sports activities Historical past.” UFC scheduled a information convention with McGregor and Chandler on June 3 at 3Arena in Dublin however canceled the occasion simply 12 hours earlier than doorways had been to open, which prompted hypothesis on the standing of the combat.
Chandler, 38, has not fought since a back-and-forth loss to Poirier at UFC 281 in November 2022. He has expressed a passing curiosity in potential bouts towards Nate Diaz, who’s at present not signed to UFC, or BMF titleholder Max Holloway.