Conor McGregor has finally addressed his withdrawal from the main event of UFC 303. McGregor was scheduled to headline International Fight Week against Michael Chandler on June 29 before suffering an injury that jeopardized what the promotion claimed was the biggest gate in UFC history.
MMA fans bit their nails for 11 days after the abrupt cancellation of a press conference involving McGregor, Chandler and UFC president Dana White. Their worst suspicions were confirmed on Thursday after White announced the fight was off. McGregor, who resorted to cryptic messages before Saturday, confirmed his injury, which is still unspecified, and assured he’d be back.
“Very tough to be ruled out of my scheduled return bout,” McGregor wrote on Instagram. “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 and Chandler were both removed from UFC 303 following McGregor’s injury. The promotion announced that a UFC light heavyweight title rematch between Alex Pereira and Jiri Prochazka would headline on 16 days’ notice. A featherweight fight between Brian Ortega and Diego Lopes was also added to strengthen the card. White announced the same day that Jamahal Hill suffered an injury, leading Anthony Smith to fill in against Carlos Ulberg.
