Dana White finally made it official: Conor McGregor is set to make his UFC comeback.
During the post-fight press conference following UFC 300, the CEO revealed that the Irish fighter will return to the octagon at UFC 303, slated for June 29 during International Fight Week. McGregor’s opponent for his long-awaited return? None other than Michael Chandler.
Conor McGregor’s return was finally announced
Chandler himself hinted at the announcement during UFC 300, flashing the number “303” with his fingers on camera. The buildup to this matchup has been brewing for over a year, leaving fans eagerly anticipating McGregor’s return to action.
UFC 303 is scheduled to take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The bout between McGregor and Chandler will be contested at 170 pounds and is set for five rounds.
McGregor’s last venture into the welterweight division resulted in a swift victory over Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone, where he secured a knockout in under 40 seconds with his trademark shoulder strikes.
Following that win, McGregor faced two consecutive defeats at the hands of Dustin Poirier, with the second bout ending in a leg injury for the Irishman.
BREAKING 🚨@MAKHACHEVMMA vs @DustinPoirier – #UFC302@SStricklandMMA vs @BorrachinhaMMA – #UFC302 @TheNotoriousMMA vs @MikeChandlerMMA – #UFC303 pic.twitter.com/oGbgtoyHho
— UFC (@ufc) April 14, 2024
After a lengthy recovery period, McGregor returned as a coach on Season 31 of ‘The Ultimate Fighter’, building anticipation for his eventual return to the octagon.
In addition to McGregor’s comeback announcement, Dana White also reveal the next challenge for reigning lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev. The Dagestani fighter is set to defend his title against Dustin Poirier at UFC 302, scheduled for June 1 in Newark, New Jersey.
The event will also feature a co-main event showdown between Sean Strickland and Paulo Costa.
Although Makhachev was offered a spot on the UFC 300 card, he declined due to Ramadan. Meanwhile, Strickland and Costa engaged in a heated exchange on X regarding their fight, with the former middleweight champion expressing dissatisfaction with the initial offer.
Excitement is already building for these upcoming matchups, promising an action-packed return for McGregor and a high-stakes title defense for Makhachev.
