Why has Conor McGregor pulled out of Chandler fight?
All the latest on UFC 303, including who will now main event in Las Vegas.
UFC 303 takes place at the end of the month, but it will no longer feature one of the biggest names in MMA.
Conor McGregor, who had been due to make his long-awaited return to the Octagon to face Michael Chandler, has pulled out of the fight.
But why is McGregor v Chandler not going ahead? And what will replace the clash as the UFC main event?
Read on for the latest.
Why has Conor McGregor pulled out of Michael Chandler fight?
Conor McGregor has pulled out of his fight against Michael Chandler at UFC 303 due to injury, it has been announced.
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UFC president Dana White confirmed the news in a social media video on Thursday 13th June. No further details have been released about the nature of the injury or whether the clash will be rescheduled.
There had been much speculation in the run-up to the fight that McGregor might not make the event, after the mixed martial artist shared and then deleted an old video on Instagram of him talking about injuries, accompanied with a pensive face emoji and praying hands.
"I think the more resistance you train with, the less movement and the more injury," he said in the clip. "But the less resistance you train with, the more movement and the less injury."
McGregor had also issued an apology after a Dublin press conference for UFC 303 was cancelled "due to a series of obstacles out of our control".
The fight with Chandler was due to be McGregor's first since breaking his leg during a defeat to Dustin Poirier in July 2021.
What is the UFC 303 main event?
In the wake of the McGregor-Chandler cancellation, White revealed that Alex Pereira v Jiri Prochazka will now main event UFC 303.
UFC light heavyweight champion Pereira will defend his belt for the second time in as many months at the Las Vegas event.
It has also been confirmed that Jamahal Hill v Carlos Ulberg has been taken off the card due to a knee injury to Hill.
In its place, the featherweight match-up between Brian 'T-City' Ortega and Diego Lopes will now be the co-main event.
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UFC 303 will take place on 29th June. Watch UFC 303 with a discovery+ Premium monthly pass including TNT Sports
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