Conor McGregor, Michael Chandler Fight Booked For UFC 303
The UFC return of Conor McGregor is official. “The Notorious” will take Michael Chandler at UFC 303 during International Fight Week on June 29. UFC CEO Dana White announced the news during the UFC 300 Post-Fight Press Conference.
McGregor has been out of competition since breaking his leg against Dustin Poirier. The former two-division champion will return after being sidelined for nearly three years. At times, there were questions about whether McGregor would actually fight again. This announcement ensures that McGregor is serious about fighting in the UFC.
The opponent for McGregor’s UFC return will be Michael Chandler. This should not be considered a surprise. Chandler and McGregor coached against each other on The Ultimate Fighter Season 31. Typically, fighters who coach against each other fight once the season ends. This pair may be running late, but a fight still makes sense.
Chandler is an intriguing opponent for McGregor. In his UFC run, he has gone 2-3 while being one of the most entertaining fighters on the roster. A fight against Chandler is a good skill test for McGregor while providing fans with a fun fight.
This fight will be crucial for McGregor if he hopes to continue fighting in the UFC. McGregor is 35, coming off a horrific injury, and has lost two of his last three fights. If McGregor looks like a shell of himself, it is hard to book him against elite competition. That said, a win would vault him back into massive opportunities.
The announcement of McGregor’s return also cleared up confusion surrounding the weight class where the bout will occur. In the lead-up to the fight, there was talk about the fight taking place at lightweight, welterweight, and middleweight. The final decision was that the bout will go down at lightweight.
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