Conor McGregor has finally said, “I’ll be back” after withdrawing from UFC 303.
The Irish superstar was scheduled to return after three years on June 29 against Michael Chandler in Las Vegas.
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But doubts immediately arose over the contest after a press conference scheduled for June 3 in Dublin was cancelled.
After a tumultuous period in which the UFC and McGregor remained silent, it was finally officially cancelled two weeks before the scheduled comeback bout.
Dana White briefly confirmed that his greatest player of all time suffered an injury so serious that he had to be sidelined.
McGregor remained radio silent until he eventually offered a message of encouragement to fans.
He posted online: “It’s very hard for me to pull out of my scheduled comeback fight.
“I suffered an injury before the press conference, which took longer to recover than the time I had available.”
“The decision to postpone the fight was not taken lightly but was made in consultation with my doctors, the UFC and my team.
“My fans and opponents expect the best from me in this fight and we will get there! Thanks for the messages of support, I am in good spirits and I am confident that I will be back!”
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During his rapid rise, McGregor earned a reputation for fighting through injuries and never backing down.
In fact, this is the first time the former two-division champion has taken himself out of a UFC bout.
McGregor, 35, has not fought since July 2021, when he broke his leg against Dustin Poirier, 35.
But it remains to be seen if this gruesome injury is connected to his withdrawal from UFC 303.
UFC boss White only made the comments to confirm that light-heavyweight champion Alex Pereira is stepping in on two weeks’ notice for a rematch with Jiri Prochazka.
Pereira, 36, won the preliminary bout via second-round stoppage in November 2023.
White later told Sports Business Journal: “It’s business, man.
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“That’s the way it is. And now I’m not going to talk about it until he’s healed and recovered. Then we’ll look at the scenario and see what we can figure out.”
McGregor’s long-awaited fight with Chandler, 38, is now expected to be rescheduled for later in the year.
August or September has been proposed as a possible reschedule date.
Chandler also reacted to the news by posting a statement on Instagram.
It read: “@thenotoriousmma was never a safe opponent, he was always the biggest risk. Maybe the biggest reward… but the biggest opportunity.”
“There is no right or wrong in business… you only take risks to get ahead or to stay comfortable where you are.
“Embrace uncertainty. See opportunity. Take calculated risks… that’s what @mikechandlermma does.
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“And if everything doesn’t go as planned… change course to an even better direction.
“Our respect goes out to the man who represents the fight world better than any other individual. No fear. No limits. No excuses.”
