All eyes are on Conor McGregor before UFC 303 finally drops in. The biggest UFC superstar will return in a five-round welterweight headliner against Michael Chandler. However, McGregor canceling his UFC 303 press conference in Ireland became problematic for the fight fans. Even now, no one knows if McGregor will pull out.
Conor McGregor has not fought since his 2021 trilogy loss and injury. The cancelation of the presser in Ireland led to other things. Concurrently, ESPN’s website and streaming platforms are no longer promoting #UFC303 for pre-purchase through ESPN+. Yet the brass remains tight-lipped on why; enter esteemed journo Ariel Helwani to give an update.
I can tell you, as of last night [Sun., June 2, 2024]…and as of today…it’s currently 1.10 PM ET…I can tell you, that there is great positivity…that this fight is going forward. As of right now, if you are asking me to shoot with y’all straight up, and I am the only one doing it…’Is Conor McGregor going to fight Michael Chandler on June 29?’ My answer is yes. Do I know what happens tomorrow? No…
The MMA Hour’s Ariel Helwani via the “Ariel Helwani Show” Morning MMA Podcast (for MMAFighting on SBN)
The main attraction of the 12th International Fight Week from June 24-30 remains ‘The Notorious’, returning on June 29th. Despite UFC X’s immersive experience and the Hall of Fame ceremony, fans and peers are angsty on his return event. The prospect of his “notorious” electric presence in 3Arena, Dublin’s home turf, sold out all tickets in under nine minutes.
Conor McGregor is prone to exhilarating pre-fight antics; his banters with Jose Aldo and even Floyd Mayweather in Dublin went similarly. He later apologized for canceling the pre-fight conference with Michael Chandler. However, cryptic media updates from both have been concerning. Helwani says that neither alcohol-fueled rage nor PED usage baggage has caused this. As far as he knows, the fight is on. Some might beg to differ.
MMA Rebound: Is Conor McGregor still fighting Michael Chandler at UFC 303?
Conor McGregor and Chandler were to promote their UFC 303 main event on June 29 in Las Vegas. The first stop in the global tour was at 3Arena in Dublin. Conversely, right after UFC 302, UFC’s social media (@ufc on X) officially announced it had “postponed” the conference about 12 hours before.
Conor McGregor, Michael Chandler (Source: tmz.com/Instagram)The early dose of news came a whole cycle before the event; fans and pundits naturally assumed that the reason was premeditated and could not be made widely public. ESPN Deportes MMA journos told KOlmenero that it might be another “injury” to the Irishman. The lack of portraits in his social space hinted at it as well. McGregor only posted a picture of his family, thanking God in the captions.
In consultation with the UFC, todays press conference was cancelled due to a series of obstacles outside of our control. I apologize to my Irish fans, and fans around the world, for the inconvenience and appreciate all your passion and support. I can’t wait to put on the greatest…
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) June 3, 2024
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” Martin Luther King Jr. #UFC303
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Walk On.
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See you at the top! pic.twitter.com/uVj6BfJPnv— Michael Chandler (@MikeChandlerMMA) June 3, 2024
That’s about as close to official confirmation as we’re seemingly going to get the fight is in jeopardy. https://t.co/jscaVkveGl
— Luke Thomas🏋️♀️ (@lthomasnews) June 4, 2024
McGregor didn’t specify if the reason was injury, contractual rehashing, or something else. Neither did Helwani, ruling out anything “illegal, nothing salacious, no PED use, no partying, none of that.” However, Luke Thomas (@lthomasnews), an MMA analyst for CBS Sports, notes a negative undertone to what Helwani had to offer during this Wednesday’s The MMA Hour.
With McGregor’s old featherweight rival Max Holloway’s name floating around, feelers are actually out for a backup. MMA star Paul Hughes notes that stablemate Chandler left his camp in Florida healthy. Unlike the Irishman, Chandler also posts frequent health and training updates on X. So if there was an injury, all arrows would point to the 35-year-old from Team SBG Ireland.
