McGregor vs Chandler: Why was the UFC 303′s main event conference in Dublin canceled?
The UFC and the Irishman’s fans are getting worried about the much-anticipated fight between the ‘The Ultimate Fighter 31′ coaches.
Summer is getting closer, and while that probably translates into hot and sometimes unbearable weather for most people, it means lots of great fights for UFC fans.
Among those big events expected to take place in the upcoming weeks is the Conor McGregor vs Michael Chandler battle, a long-awaited clash that promises to be one of the best in 2024.
The former simultaneously double champion was expected to take on the dangerous and hard-hitting Chandler at the end of The Ultimate Fighter 31 (TUF 31) show. However, that fight was long postponed, as the USADA required him to re-enter their testing pool before considering him able to fight again. McGregor had been outside the octagon for a long time after losing to Dustin Poirier for a second time in July 2021, breaking his leg in the first round.
While McGregor’s return seemed closer after the UFC and the anti-doping agency parted ways, the promotion president Dana White remained silent for a while regarding the fight. When he did refer to it, he said there was no confirmation or date for the fight.
But everything changed after the iconic UFC 300. After the event, one of the best the company has ever organized, White confirmed that McGregor and Chandler would finally meet on June 29 at UFC 303.
Why was the McGregor vs Chandler presser in Dublin canceled?
Both fighters were expected to hold an exciting press conference in Dublin this Monday ahead of their fight at the end of this month. However, UFC fans won’t be able to see the two UFC stars talk about the fight and their opponent in the Irish capital.
But why hasn’t the press conference taken place? No reason has been given for the event cancelation and the rumors have started spreading over social media.
The UFC released a statement, apologizing for the unexpected cancelation of the presser.
“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 share it immediately. Thank you.”
While many fans now doubt the event will finally happen later this month, others blamed McGregor, assuming he was responsible for the cancelation.
Although it’s unclear what happened, McGregor withdrew from a press conference in 2016, days before his rematch with Nate Diaz.