The rollercoaster ride that is the Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler fight in the main event spot of the upcoming UFC 303 pay-per-view card took another plummet today with reports that the UFC is once again looking for a replacement for McGregor for the fast-approaching June 29 fight card.
In May, UFC CEO Dana White announced that the gate for UFC 303: McGregor vs. Chandler would set a UFC record at $20 million. The promotion, looking to bolster interest in the scrap, also arranged a press conference for June 3 at 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland. Tickets for that event were quickly scooped up by fans hoping to hear McGregor’s return to the dais in his home country. However, on the morning of that press conference, the UFC announced its abrupt cancellation.
Dear UFC Fans–
The #UFC303 press conference scheduled for Monday June 3rd in Dublin, Ireland at 3Arena has been postponed until further notice. We sincerely apologize to all the fans who were planning to attend. When we have further information on a new date and time, we will… pic.twitter.com/nIXRIZl5pv
— UFC (@ufc) June 3, 2024
That was the first sign that something was amiss with the event. That Chandler had been ready to fly to Dublin when the news broke, the speculation was that something was wrong on the McGregor side of the equation.
Silence from the UFC followed that announcement.
A few days after the sudden cancellation of the UFC 303 press conference, Ariel Helwani reported some positive news on the McGregor vs. Chandler fight.
“I can tell you as of last night, as of today, I can tell you there is great positivity that this fight is going forward,” Helwani said on The MMA Hour. If you’re asking me right now if Conor McGregor is going to fight Michael Chandler on June 29? My answer is yes. As of right now, yes. Do I know what happens tomorrow? No.”
Helwani lifted spirits with that news. A week later, he crushed those spirits.
On today’s edition of The MMA Hour, Helwani said, “On Monday of last week, I would say optimism level was not very high. There was some concern, there was some doubt, and there were roadblocks. I came on this show on Wednesday and said optimism was high. There was great positivity, all those words I used. It felt like we had dodged a bullet, it felt like we had turned a corner.
“On Tuesday, I reported that the UFC was sending out feelers, they were reaching out to fighters and managers to see who could possibly be available to either replace the fight — meaning two new fighters — or step in and replace one of the fighters involved to fight on this card. Obviously the fighter we’re talking about is Conor McGregor, because if not, why would Chandler be ready to go on a plane to Dublin?
Why Is the UFC Being Quiet on UFC 303: McGregor vs. Chandler?
The biggest reason the UFC might be silent on the main event of UFC 303 is because they themselves are unsure of what is happening.
McGregor has never pulled out of a fight. Even when he had the chance to do so, he shrugged and took a short-notice opponent. The feeling is that if McGregor can make it to fight night he will, even if it is a last-minute decision. It would not be a surprise to see the UFC give McGregor and his camp that amount of leeway.
Another reason the UFC could be silent is that losing the main event of UFC 303 could open the promotion up to giving refunds.
The Nevada State Athletic Commission rules say that if a main event of a combat sports card falls through, refunds must be offered. It’s hard to believe the UFC would welcome giving those refunds. With that in mind, the UFC could either be looking to replace McGregor vs. Chandler with a blockbuster main event that will dissuade fans from looking for their money back or waiting until the last minute to see if McGregor can compete.
If one wants some positive news, the UFC is still taking pre-orders for the pay-per-view and still posting preview videos on its YouTube page:
