It’s a rare occasion when UFC cancels any event, but suddenly scrapping the UFC 303 press conference scheduled in Dublin, Ireland on Monday left an uneasy feeling about the future of Conor McGregor’s return against Michael Chandler on June 29.
The press conference was technically “postponed,” but the timing was the concerning part considering UFC CEO Dana White said just hours earlier at UFC 302 that he was prepared to fly out to Ireland and meet up with McGregor. Following news of the press conference’s dismissal, McGregor released a somewhat cryptic statement saying the event was “cancelled due to a series of obstacles outside of our control,” but added nothing further outside of an apology.
So with UFC 303 less than four weeks away, what exactly is happening now?
In the immediate aftermath of the press conference cancellation, there was understandable concern that perhaps McGregor’s return was in jeopardy. Sources told MMA Fighting that UFC largely stayed radio silent for many parties involving regarding the reasons behind the press conference being scrapped at the last minute.
That being said, there were early talks that perhaps UFC might try to look at alternate plans for the card on June 29, which caps off International Fight Week 2024. That could mean a possible replacement opponent or even a whole new fight that could headline the event.
The concern really centered around McGregor, but there was no word if he suffered some kind of an injury or if the “obstacles” the Irish superstar referenced had more to do with his looming contract negotiations. McGregor has openly stated he has two fights left on his UFC deal and is currently in talks with the UFC about a possible extension.
If those talks hit a snag, that could have led to McGregor bowing out of the press conference, which would then obviously force UFC to cancel the event.
Despite the dour feeling earlier in the week, Wednesday brought renewed hope that McGregor vs. Chandler could move ahead as scheduled.
We The MMA HourMMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani reported that there was “great positivity” and “great optimism” that UFC 303 could move forward as scheduled, with McGregor making his first octagon appearance in more than three years.
Additional sources speaking anonymously to MMA Fighting on Wednesday stated they were “confident [the] fight is still on” between McGregor and Chandler for June 29, and there is much more enthusiasm that McGregor vs. Chandler will move ahead as scheduled.
Of course, it’s always possible that disaster strikes and the fight falls apart, but doubts floated just after the press conference cancellation have now turned bullish that it may have been much ado about nothing — at least for now.
UFC hasn’t addressed the situation publicly, which has only seemed to fuel rumors that something was wrong, but no news might ultimately mean good news.
Meanwhile, Chandler remains steadfast in his approach as he continues his training camp preparing for June 29 — and by all accounts, McGregor is doing the same.
There’s a lot riding on UFC 303, as McGregor seeks to earn his first win since 2020 and get back into the cage after suffering a devastating broken leg in his most recent outing in 2021.
The same goes for Chandler, who hasn’t fought since November 2022 after signing on to fight McGregor following a coaching stint against him on The Ultimate Fighter 31. Filming for the reality show started all the way back in March 2023, so Chandler has now sat out for more than a year with hopes that he could finally welcome McGregor back to the octagon.
While this rapidly developing situation continues to evolve, there’s renewed optimism that McGregor still fights Chandler on June 29.
