Conor McGregor insists he will return to his best despite injury forcing a postponement to his comeback fight against Michael Chandler at UFC 303 in Las Vegas.
Anticipation had reached a feverish level for the 35-year-old’s return since his last fight when he broke his leg during a July 2021 defeat to lightweight rival Dustin Poirier.
Ahead of his headline fight on the 29 June card, a press conference in Dublin was organised, but once that was postponed on short notice, speculation spread with suggestions that the fight would soon be cancelled, with confirmation arriving last week.
McGregor said in a post on his official Instagram account: “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. 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!”
McGregor, 35, has not won a bout since January 2020. In his last outing, he sustained a broken leg against Dustin Poirier, six months after losing to his old rival by knockout.
Meanwhile, Chandler last fought in November 2022, losing to Poirier via submission. The American, 38, last won a fight in May 2022.
McGregor vs Chandler was initially announced in February 2023. The pair went on to serve as opposing coaches on last year’s season of The Ultimate Fighter, a UFC reality TV show. Chandler’s team of fighters comfortably beat McGregor’s over the course of the season.
McGregor is a former featherweight and lightweight champion, having held both titles simultaneously in the UFC. Meanwhile, Chandler held the Bellator lightweight belt three times before joining the UFC in late 2019. However, the pair were set to square off at welterweight, where McGregor traded wins with Nate Diaz in 2016 and beat Donald Cerrone in 2020.
