UFC 303 took a major marketing hit on June 13 when Dana White announced that Conor McGregor would no longer compete in the headlining event. While the official reason for the fight cancellation was not given in the initial announcement, the former two-division champion has issued his official statement on the matter on social media.
McGregor would have made his return the the Octagon for the first time since breaking his leg against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021. Reports have stated that the promotion is looking to re-book his fight with Michael Chandler at a later date.
Conor McGregor Issues Statement on UFC 303 Withdrawal
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,… pic.twitter.com/ACNnbvr27p
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) June 15, 2024
Two days after the official announcement from the UFC, Conor McGregor provided his statement on his fight withdrawal with an Instagram post on June 15 that he would later reiterate on X. ‘The Notorious’ addressed his recent injury flare-up but noted that he is “in good spirits” and plans to return to the cage as soon as possible.
“Very tough to be ruled out of my scheduled return bout,” McGregor wrote in the Instagram post caption. “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.” He continued, “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!”
What is Conor McGregor’s Injury?
After three years away from the Octagon, Conor McGregor was scheduled to return to the UFC at UFC 303. The Irishman has not fought in nearly three years after suffering a devastating leg break in the UFC 264 main event against Dustin Poirier.
While McGregor has confirmed that an injury has forced him out of UFC 303, neither the fighter nor the UFC has given any additional information on what the 35-year-old is dealing with. No word has been officially made public on what the injury is or its severity, only that it was hampering enough to prevent McGregor from competing on June 29.
The day after the announcement, Journalist Ariel Helwani claimed he knew that the injury was “not severe” in a recent video but stated that he had been asked not to publicly share what it specifically was. Rumors have circulated that the fighter re-injured his previously broken leg, but it appears that all sides involved are intent on keeping the impairment behind closed doors.
The Cancelled UFC 303 Press Conference
Rumors of the UFC 303 main event fight between Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler began when the promotional press conference scheduled for June 3 was cancelled by the organization without an explanation. In the ensuing days, fans and media members went wild on X/Twitter with theories on what the front office may potentially be dealing with.
However, no word on the stability of the event was ever officially distributed, nor did the UFC provide any updates on the event. Helwani reported sporadic updates on the fight card on The MMA Hour but, like everyone else, seemed to have a different perspective each day.
Finally, on June 13, Dana White announced that the fight was off, and the new main event would feature UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira defending his title on short notice in a rematch with Jiri Prochazka.
About the Author
Jaren Kawada is a freelance sports writer from Indianapolis, Indiana by way of Honolulu, Hawaii with a strong passion for MMA and sports betting. Kawada has also written for Sportskeeda MMA, FanSided MMA, and BetSided as a combat sports analyst. Follow on X/Twitter at @jarenkawada1 or on Instagram at @kawadajaren.
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