CONOR McGREGOR has finally spoken out following his withdrawal from UFC 303 to promise: “I’ll be back.”
The Irish star was due to return after three years in Las Vegas against Michael Chandler on June 29.
But after a homecoming press conference in Dublin on June 3 was cancelled, fears immediately arose about the fight.
After a period of ups and downs in which the UFC and McGregor remained silent, it was finally two weeks before the scheduled comeback fight was officially called off.
Dana White briefly confirmed that his biggest draw of all time suffered an injury so serious it forced him out.
McGregor remained radio silent until finally breaking his silence with a message of encouragement to his fans.
He posted online: “It’s very difficult to be excluded from my scheduled comeback fight.
“I suffered an injury before 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 rather in consultation with my doctors, the UFC and my team.
“My fans and opponent deserve my best for this fight and we will get there! Thank you for the messages of support, I’m in a good mood and confident that I’ll be back!”
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During his meteoric rise, McGregor gained a reputation for fighting through injuries and never giving up.
In fact, this is the first time that the former two-division champion has ruled himself out of a UFC fight.
McGregor, 35, has not fought since July 2021, when he broke his leg against Dustin Poirier, 35.
But it remains to be seen whether the horrific injury is linked to his UFC 303 exit.
UFC chief White only commented to confirm that light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira was replacing Jiří Prochazka in the rematch on two weeks’ notice.
Pereira, 36, won the initial fight by second-round stoppage in November 2023.
White later told Sports Business Journal: “It’s the business, man.
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“That’s how it happens. And from now on I won’t talk about it until he’s cured and he’s right. Then we will look at the landscape and see what we can discover.”
McGregor’s long-awaited fight with Chandler, 38, is now set to be rescheduled for later in the year.
August or September was considered the likely rescheduling date.
Chandler also reacted to the news by posting a statement on Instagram.
It read: “@thenotoriousmma was never a safe bet as an opponent, he was always the riskiest one. Perhaps the greatest reward… but the greatest opportunity.
“There is no right or wrong in business… you only take risks to grow or stay comfortable where you are.
“Embrace the uncertainty. See the opportunity. Take calculated risks… That’s what @mikechandlermma does.
“And if it doesn’t go as planned… redirect the course towards something even greater.
“Our respect to the man who represents the world of fighting better than anyone we’ve ever met. NO FEAR. NO LIMITS. NO EXCUSES.”
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
