The long and winding road to booking a highly anticipated fight between [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] and [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag] finally came to an end after UFC CEO Dana White announced that McGregor vs. Chandler will culminate International Fight Week by headlining UFC 303 this summer in Las Vegas.
Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler preview
A showdown between former UFC two-division champion McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) and former Bellator lightweight champion Chandler (23-8 MMA, 2-3 UFC) has been expected ever since they served as opposing coaches on Season 31 of “The Ultimate Fighter” last year. But it’s been a waiting game to finally get the fight done as McGregor recovered from a broken leg, exited the UFC’s drug-testing program and then re-entered it, and filmed a “Road House” remake with co-star Jake Gyllenhaal.
All the while, Chandler has been patiently awaiting his big-money fight, having not competed since a November 2022 submission loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 281. It’s been even longer for McGregor, who hasn’t fought since a July 2021 injury TKO loss to Poirier after breaking his leg in the first round.
Both McGregor, 35, and Chandler, 37, have been losers in three of their past four octagon appearances. With their fight being contested at welterweight, it’s hard to say what a win could do for either man in that division, although McGregor is just looking for the biggest fights possible with two bouts left on his UFC contract.
Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler preliminary odds
Accord to preliminary odds on FanDuel, the fight is practically a pick ’em, with McGregor listed at -122 and Chandler -104.
How to watch Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler at UFC 303
- When: Saturday, June 29, 2024
- Where: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas
- Streaming: ESPN+ pay-per-view
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 303.