McGregor out of UFC 303 as injury ruins comeback

New Delhi, June 14
Conor McGregor's comeback fight at UFC 303 against Michael Chandler on June 29 has been cancelled after the Irishman withdrawn from a bout due to injury.

The welterweight matchup, scheduled for Las Vegas, was a major draw selling out in under 10 minutes. This setback comes after McGregor's long layoff following a leg break suffered during his July 2021 loss to Dustin Poirier.

UFC president Dana White confirmed the cancellation and announced changes to the fight card. The original co-main event, featuring American Jamahal Hill and New Zealand's Carlos Ulberg, was also scrapped due to Hill's knee injury. Anthony Smith will be replacing Hill in the bout.

"Conor Mcgregor is out of UFC 303 vs Michael Chandler with an injury," confirmed White through a video posted on X.

It is the first time the former two-weight world champion has been forced to pull out of a UFC fight due to injury.

However, fight week in Las Vegas, traditionally the UFC's biggest event, will still see high-profile action.

The new main event features a light-heavyweight title clash between Brazilian champion Alex Pereira and Czech challenger Jiri Prochazka. Additionally, American Brian Ortega and Brazilian Diego Lopes will battle it out in the new co-main event.