Conor McGregor: The mystery surrounding his failed UFC return – and what comes next

Conor McGregor was going to struggle Michael Chandler on 29 June. Then there was an opportunity he wouldn’t. Then there was a actual probability he wouldn’t. Then nobody had a clue. Then the struggle was going forward. Now, it’s sure: The bout is off indefinitely.

The decisive elements within the ‘will-they-won’t-they?’ of McGregor vs Chandler, a struggle 18 months within the making, have been saved behind closed doorways, which solely elevated the rampant hypothesis over the destiny of the UFC 303 essential occasion. When a pre-fight press convention was cancelled simply hours upfront on 3 June, with no clarification given by the UFC, McGregor vaguely hinted at “obstacles outdoors of our management”. And so, the hearsay mill began.

Probably the most smart concept is that McGregor sustained an damage on 2 June, required a check-up on 3 June, and discovered within the ensuing days that the problem was a minor one, just for the damage to be aggravated within the time since. That will line up with the contours of this month’s emotional rollercoaster. However once more: That’s hypothesis.

McGregor had by no means earlier than withdrawn from a struggle as a consequence of damage; actually, he has fought injured greater than as soon as. He had withdrawn from a press convention earlier than, forward of his high-stakes rematch and win in opposition to Nate Diaz in 2016, however when he has been contracted to struggle, he has fought. That was at all times McGregor’s private rule, however as journalist Ariel Helwani famous, the Irishman is effectively inside his proper to calm down the rule – particularly now that he’s older, at 35, and getting ready to return from a devastating damage. And he has relaxed his rule in spite of everything.

McGregor sustained a damaged leg in his final struggle, a second straight loss to Dustin Poirier in July 2021, six months after the American knocked out “Infamous” / “The Mac” / the UFC’s essential character. McGregor’s comeback has due to this fact been three years within the making, and his match-up with Chandler was even introduced in February 2023. The Irishman and the American went on to function opposing coaches on final yr’s season of The Final Fighter (Chandler’s group of athletes beat McGregor’s comfortably alongside the way in which), however the present’s normal conclusion of a coach vs coach struggle was lacking.

The truth is, McGregor vs Chandler was and not using a date, location and weight class till April 2024, when UFC president Dana White confirmed – whereas studying from a small slip of paper – that the bout would headline UFC 303 at Las Vegas’s T-Cell Enviornment on 29 June. 5 rounds have been scheduled at welterweight, above every man’s typical weight class(es) however a division wherein McGregor has the better expertise.

It was a bafflingly low-key announcement, with considerably extra fanfare sometimes accompanying McGregor struggle reveals. One month later, at UFC 301, a brief however chilling teaser video aired. That, absolutely, ought to have been the preliminary announcement. In any case, the struggle was official, the promotion had began, and the ultimate stretch of street to McGregor vs Chandler had been paved. It had been an advanced sufficient journey as much as that time, but it surely was about to get extra convoluted.

Regardless of/as a consequence of setting stupendously excessive ticket costs for UFC 303, the cardboard rapidly broke the UFC’s all-time gate report at round $20m, and a press convention was introduced for 3 June in Dublin. McGregor, whose authorized points outdoors of the ring have strained his relationship with the Irish in recent times, had the right probability to reconnect together with his compatriots.

Tickets have been free however required signing up, with about 10,000 followers anticipated to pack out the 3Arena. Then, within the early hours of the day of the press convention, the UFC cancelled the occasion with an apology however no clarification. McGregor supplied the identical.

But many followers had already booked flights, as has a good portion of the viewers anticipated on the T-Cell Enviornment. That, in fact, is to not point out the cash spent on tickets for McGregor vs Chandler, which unexpectedly seemed below actual risk. ESPN+ seemingly pulled the hyperlink for its UFC 303 pay-per-view web page, and the UFC eliminated its lately revealed YouTube movies of previous McGregor fights. The indicators have been ominous.

Chandler hinted, in a cryptic Instagram put up, that he had left his coaching camp in Florida to return residence to Tennessee; McGregor shared a photograph of himself smiling on a therapy desk. The caption was merely a flexing arm emoji. The following day, he posted a collection of sparring movies – seemingly new footage. The UFC re-uploaded its YouTube movies, and hope was renewed.

Had McGregor been leaning into the confusion and exasperation round this episode? Was the grasp of self-promotion masterfully self-promoting? Perhaps drop the ‘masterfully’.

This newest delay has put a substantial dent within the hype. On 13 June, the UFC confirmed ultimately that McGregor is injured, and his struggle with Chandler has been postponed indefinitely. A brand new essential occasion was introduced for UFC 303 – one involving neither McGregor nor Chandler.

McGregor is 35 and has not fought in three years; Chandler is 38 and final fought in November 2022, shedding to Poirier. How both man will carry out in the event that they finally share a cage, nobody is aware of. Whether or not both man will struggle once more thereafter, nobody is aware of.

McGregor has misplaced a number of years of his prime, and Chandler has given up a glimmer of the twilight of his profession to the Irishman, maybe in useless. Has this saga been value it? Perhaps we’ll solely know as soon as the struggle has performed out, if it ever performs out. That could be a main ‘if’.