AND Conor McGregor I’m still fighting michael chandler at UFC 303? That’s the question after a press conference scheduled for June 3 was suddenly canceled.
Both McGregor and Chandler would attend the press conference at the 3Arena in Dublin to promote the main fight of UFC 303 on June 29 in Las Vegas. Officially, the UFC announced that it had “postponed” the press conference around 12 hours before it began, due to the uncertainty surrounding McGregor.
With the fight just a few weeks away, it continues – but the status seems tenuous. Here’s what we know about the situation surrounding McGregor vs. Chandler.
June 3: McGregor issues statement and apologizes
Any doubt that McGregor was the reason for the canceled press conference was erased after the former two-division UFC champion released a statement in which he attributed the sudden turn of events to “a series of obstacles” beyond his control. What that means exactly is anyone’s guess, as McGregor wasn’t specific about whether the reason was related to an injury, his contract or anything else.
In consultation with the UFC, today’s press conference has been canceled due to a series of obstacles beyond our control. I apologize to my Irish fans and fans around the world for the inconvenience and thank you for all your passion and support. I can’t wait to post the best…
-Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) June 3, 2024
June 3: Chandler invokes MLK in cryptic message
Reports emerged that Chandler was on his way to the airport to catch a flight to Dublin when he received a call from the UFC that the press conference had been cancelled.
About 30 minutes after McGregor issued his statement, we heard from Chandler, who used a motivational quote from Martin Luther King Jr. in X.
“The ultimate measure of a man is not his standing in moments of comfort and convenience, but his standing in moments of challenge and controversy.” #UFC303
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Walk from.
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see you at the top!
June 4: Chandler leaves training camp
In another possible bad sign about the fight not happening, Chandler revealed on Instagram that he was leaving his camp in South Florida to return home to Tennessee.
June 5: ‘Great positivity’ McGregor vs. Chandler still happening
On Wednesday’s episode of “The MMA Hour,” host Ariel Helwani – who is close to McGregor’s team – reported that things are moving in the right direction.
“The vibes on Sunday were quite mixed. The vibes on Monday were quite pessimistic and there was anxiety,” Helwani said. “… I can tell you from last night and even today — this morning, early afternoon, it’s 1:10 p.m. ET — I can tell you that there is a great deal of positivity that this fight is moving forward.”
Although Helwani did not give a specific reason for the cancellation of the press conference, he ruled out that it was caused by “nothing illegal, nothing obscene, no PED use, no partying, nothing like that.”
This post will be updated as new developments unfold.
For more information on the card, visit the MMA Junkie events hub to UFC 303.
