Conor McGregor has sustained an injury and will not be participating in the UFC 303 event scheduled for June 29 in Las Vegas, where he was supposed to be the headline fighter.
UFC President Dana White announced this change on Thursday night via X, stating that light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira will now go up against Jiri Prochazka, the top-ranked challenger.
McGregor was originally set to fight Michael Chandler, the number six ranked lightweight contender. The first hint of trouble for this matchup came when their press conference in Dublin on June 3 was suddenly cancelled without any immediate explanation.
Dana White did not provide details regarding the specific nature of McGregor`s injury.
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White stated on social media, “Conor McGregor is out of the 303 fight against Michael Chandler due to an injury.”
He added, “The revised main event will feature Alex Pereira, the former UFC middleweight champion and the first fighter in UFC history to hold titles in both middleweight and light-heavyweight divisions. He achieved this feat in a record time of just 736 days and seven fights.
Pereira has secured seven of his nine victories by knockout and has won 10 of his last 11 fights. He will now face Jiri Prochazka, a former UFC light-heavyweight champion known for his incredible 23 first-round wins and a 97 percent finish rate, with 25 knockouts and three submissions.”
In other fight card changes, Jamahal Hill is also out of his bout with Carlos Ulberg. Anthony Smith will now replace Hill to face Ulberg, and Brian Ortega will now fight Diego Lopes in the co-main event.
McGregor`s withdrawal is a significant setback for the UFC, especially as he has not fought in the octagon for three years. Despite being 35 and likely past his peak, he continues to be a major draw for fans.
The UFC is currently at a pivotal point, with prominent figures like McGregor, Jon Jones, and Amanda Nunes either nearing retirement or already retired.
The organization is relying on a new generation of younger fighters to build their fanbase and become the next generation of leading stars.
