Conor McGregor has broken his silence after the latest injury setback scuppered his UFC return against Michael Chandler. The Notorious hasn’t fought inside the octagon since 2021 after suffering a gruesome leg break in his trilogy defeat to Dustin Poirier.
The 35-year-old had been focusing on his successful businesses outside of the UFC as well as making his film debut in Road House alongside Jake Gyllenhaal – but the wheels for a return were set in motion after McGregor returned as a coach on The Ultimate Fighter, leading a team against Chandler, laying the groundworks for the pair to face off later this month. However, an injury has further delayed McGregor’s return – but the Irishman has vowed he will be back.
“Very tough to be ruled out of my scheduled return bout. I picked up an injury prior to the press conference that required more time to heal than was available to me,” McGregor said on social media. “The decision to postpone the fight was not made lightly, but one made in consultation with my doctors, the UFC, and my team.
“My fans and opponent deserve me at my best for this fight and we will get there! Thank you for the messages of support, I am in good spirits and confident I’ll be back!”
Despite vowing to return, with a future date yet to be announced, former UFC heavyweight Daniel Cormier, now a commentator, believes McGregor could be finished in the UFC. “He lives a life that’s so extravagant, that’s so fun, that is so filled with adventure and other things, I don’t know people could blame him if he wants to walk away from this,” Cormier remarked.
“Michael Chandler does not live that life. Michael Chandler still needs to fight. It seems like he needs Conor McGregor but I don’t know that he does… He’s got some things to weigh going forward because I don’t know that he should wait anymore.”
The new headliner for this event will be a UFC Light Heavyweight Championship rematch between current champion Alex Pereira and former champion Jiří Procházka. The first meeting between the pair came at UFC 295 when Pereira scored a second-round stoppage.
“Conor McGregor is out of [UFC] 303 vs. Michael Chandler with an injury… The new main event is Alex Pereira,” White revealed on Instagram. “He is facing former UFC light heavyweight champion Jiri Prochazka…
“The co-main event will be No.3-ranked Brian Ortega… and he will be taking on rising superstar Diego Lopes… Also, Jamahal Hill is out with a knee injury, so, Carlos Ulberg… will now be taking on Anthony Smith.”
UFC 303 is the promotion’s biggest gate ever, surpassing £15.7 million. A McGregor full return, injury-free, is likely to yield similar results.
