Tag: Conor McGregor

Video: Dissecting the aftermath of Conor McGregor’s UFC 303 injury pullout, what comes next

What happens now with Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler after the cancellation of their UFC 303 bout? We discuss on “Spinning Back Clique.”

[autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] won’t be competing at UFC 303 after all.

The MMA superstar suffered an injury and was ruled out of his highly-anticipated return against [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag] on June 29 in Las Vegas. This news came after days of rumors and speculations around McGregor’s return from his nearly three-year hiatus from the octagon, and led to a massive overhaul of the event.

UFC CEO Dana White admitted uncertainty about McGregor’s fighting future, and Chandler is keeping in high spirits that his long-awaited showdown with “The Notorious” will eventually come to fruition.

But what ultimately is going to happen? And how likely are were to actually see McGregor and Chandler step inside the cage together in the future?

MMA Junkie’s Brian “Goze” Garcia, Farah Hannoun, Danny Segura and host “Gorgeous” George Garcia make sense of the situation around McGregor and his canceled return.

Watch their discussion in the video above, and don’t miss this week’s complete episode of “Spinning Back Clique” below on YouTube.

https://youtube.com/live/jM4-H41mykQ

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=420030788]

Dana White reiterates uncertainty around Conor McGregor’s UFC future after injury

Dana White said “maybe he’ll fight again, maybe he won’t” when asked about Conor McGregor’s future after his UFC 303 withdrawal.

Ever since [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] ran into life-changing fortune with his 2016 boxing match against Floyd Mayweather, UFC CEO [autotag]Dana White[/autotag] has offered a consistent answer about the Irishman’s fighting future.

That hasn’t changed much in the aftermath of McGregor’s withdrawal from his anticipated octagon return against Michael Chandler at UFC 303 on June 29 in Las Vegas.

White likely possesses as much knowledge about the life of McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) behind the scenes as anyone. Because of that, he’s said time and time again he it’s hard to set expectations. That was repeated often during McGregor’s nearly three-year layoff leading up to the scheduled fight with Chandler (23-8 MMA, 2-3 UFC), and now that there’s been a setback, White can’t give a firm answer on what the future holds.

“Conor’s going to be 36 in July,” White said Monday on “The Jim Rome Show” on X. “He’s got plenty of money and I don’t ever think that guys like that – Jon Jones, who knows? Maybe he’ll fight again. Maybe he won’t. Conor McGregor – maybe he’ll fight again, maybe he won’t. You never know with some of the guys that get to that level. You never know when you’re going to see them again.”

[lawrence-related id=2749026,2748931,2748536,2748526]

McGregor has competed just four times in MMA since he claimed his second UFC championship with a dazzling second-round TKO of Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205 in November 2016. He’s 1-3 in those bouts, and in the most recent of those against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021, he suffered a broken leg.

The details of the injury that forced McGregor out of UFC 303 have no been disclosed. It’s been reported the fight could be rescheduled for August or September, but White was not asked about a new timeline for a rebooking.

White did note that injuries for athletes like McGregor, who is already coming back from a catastrophic bone break, only get more difficult to recover from as time goes on.

It remains to be seen if McGregor can overcome those obstacles.

“The other thing about getting old, like race horses, is you get injured a lot easier,” White said. “You get hurt a lot easier, more injuries happen than it did when you were young, and you’re less willing to step in there with an injury than you did when you were young and hungry and broke.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 303.

Michael Chandler opens up on canceled Conor McGregor fight: ‘Don’t you dare disrespect me by feeling sorry for me’

Michael Chandler wants to make one thing clear: His spirit is not broken by Conor McGregor pulling out of UFC 303.

[autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag] wants to make one thing clear: His spirit is not broken by [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] pulling out of the UFC 303 main event, and the uncertainty that follows.

After waiting nearly 18 months between fights to be the opponent for McGregor’s (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) long-awaited comeback to the octagon, the opportunity was taken from Chandler (23-8 MMA, 2-3 UFC) on less than three weeks’ notice when the former two-division champ withdrew from the June 29 card at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas due to injury.

There was a period of several days where the status of the contest was up in the air, but then the official word it would not be happening came in, and Chandler revealed it arrived minutes after his final hard sparring session.

“Got the rug pulled out from underneath me at the last possible moment,” Chandler said in a lengthy Instagram video. “I just had got done with my last sparring session Thursday morning. Had been hearing rumblings since Monday, obviously, but really got the call about an hour after my last sparring session was completed. An hour after a celebration.

“Anyone who has trained for a fight or has trained for something, you go through a really hard block and then in order to peak you get toward the very end you don’t go hard anymore as to throw yourself into the fire and take the chance of injuries, over training, bumps, bruises, cuts and all those different things. I had just gotten done with that.”

[lawrence-related id=2748931,2748929,2748536]

There was some discussion that the announcement of McGregor vs. Chandler being off of UFC 303 would come with news of a new date. However, that was not the case. UFC CEO Dana White said he is not going to talk about a rebooking until he’s informed of McGregor’s complete recovery, but MMA journalist Ariel Helwani has reported August or September could be in play, though the promotion is having trouble pinpointing a viable date.

Chandler admits there’s a lot of uncertainty, but he doesn’t want sympathy from anyone. He is a man of faith and an unbreakable self-belief, and he will continue to follow that path in life no matter the obstacles that get in his way.

“So what do I do now? A little bit of uncertainty in my life,” Chandler said. “When’s this fight going to happen? What date would it be rebooked for? What venue? How bad is the injury? Reports have come out that it’s not that bad, just needs a little bit of a delay. But still, no guarantees. But I thrive when there are no guarantees. Just a walk-on kid from High Ridge, Mo., who has continued to trod in a forward trajectory no matter what the opposition, no matter what the circumstances, no matter the situation. It’s not up to me to will outcomes into existence. It is up to me to do the work. We let the work talk. We do the work. And we do the work until we become undeniable.

“Don’t you dare disrespect me by feeling sorry for me. Don’t you dare disrespect me by having any kind of sympathy. Be emboldened by my situation. Be emboldened by my steadfastness and my immovability of hitching my dreams to a shooting star and continuing to move forward. If you’ve been on this journey with me for a long time you know how I operate. You know where my mindset is, where my mental is. And it is nowhere near down in the dumps. I am emboldened by this test, and this test ain’t done yet. And this test shall turn into part of my testimony. So we keep moving forward in the face of adversity, with complete disregard to previous failures, previous setbacks, previous things outside of out control, and future opposition.”

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8U3BgrOPXG/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 303.

Spinning Back Clique REPLAY: Conor McGregor injured, Alex Pereira vs. Jiri Prochazka headlines UFC 303, more

On “Spinning Back Clique,” our panel discusses Conor McGregor’s withdrawal from UFC 303, the booking of Alex Pereira vs. Jiri Prochazka, more.

Check out this week’s “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly live show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts.

This week’s panel of Farah Hannoun, Brian “Goze” Garcia and Danny Segura will join host “Gorgeous” George Garcia live at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) to discuss and debate the following topics:

  • The UFC 303 and [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] saga has finally come to an end. Unfortunately, the Irish superstar has been ruled out of his return at UFC 303 on June 29 due to injury. This is devastating news for McGregor, but what exactly does this mean for his career? Where does this leave his opponent [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag]? We break it all down.
  • McGregor’s injury did not affect Chandler alone. This forced the UFC to strengthen the International Fight Week event by adding new bouts, including a light heavyweight title fight between [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag] and [autotag]Jiri Prochazka[/autotag] for the main event, and a pivotal featherweight bout between [autotag]Brian Ortega[/autotag] and [autotag]Diego Lopes[/autotag] in the co-main. Additionally, [autotag]Jamahal Hill[/autotag] suffered an injury and was replaced by [autotag]Anthony Smith[/autotag] for his fight against [autotag]Carlos Ulberg[/autotag]. We chat about the latest updates for UFC 303.
  • This past Saturday, young, Japanese rising contender [autotag]Tatsuro Taira[/autotag] got past his toughest test – former UFC title challenger [autotag]Alex Perez[/autotag]. In a competitive bout, Perez suffered a knee injury while Taira had his back, thus losing by TKO. What’s Taira’s potential? Where does he go next? We discuss.
  • The UFC’s debut event in Saudi Arabia this Saturday has a new main event. [autotag]Khamzat Chimaev[/autotag] pulled out due to illness, and now [autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag] will take on undefeated [autotag]Ikram Aliskerov[/autotag]. We break down the new main event, along with the rest of the card.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=420030788]

Michael Bisping questions if Conor McGregor fights again after UFC 303 withdrawal

Michael Bisping thinks Conor McGregor may never return after pulling out of UFC 303.

[autotag]Michael Bisping[/autotag] thinks [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] may never return after pulling out of UFC 303.

An undisclosed injury forced McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) out of his return fight vs. Michael Chandler (23-8 MMA, 2-3 UFC) June 29 at T-Mobile Arena, marking the first time McGregor has withdrawn from a fight in the UFC. The bout is expected to be rebooked later in the year.

Bisping heard that McGregor re-injured the same leg he broke in his TKO loss to Dustin Poirier in July 2021, which has kept him sidelined for years.

“I don’t know why I was kind of optimistic that this fight was still going to go ahead,” Bisping said on his YouTube channel. “I should have known, though. I was on a movie set last week and I was working with ‘Big’ John McCarthy, a man that is an absolute authority on mixed marital arts, and he told me in no uncertain terms this fight is not happening. He’s injured. He’s hurt himself. His leg, the leg that he broke, that snapped against Dustin Poirier – his titanium skin bone has failed. That’s what ‘Big’ John said. I thought he was wrong. I thought he was mistaken.”

Bisping says history has shown that fighters do not come back the same after  breaking their leg in that manner, pointing to Anderson Silva and Chris Weidman as examples.

“The big question is, is that it?  Will McGregor ever fight again,” Bisping said. “Now of course they’re going to move Michael Chandler vs. Conor McGregor to another date down the line. … He hurt himself this time. What’s to say he won’t hurt himself next time? What’s to say that he’ll ever be the same fighter again?

“Him competing against Dustin Poirier, when the leg snapped, might just be the last time that Conor McGregor ever steps foot inside an octagon. Fighters aren’t the same. Anderson Silva came back from the leg break – he wasn’t the same. Chris Weidman, he wasn’t the same. Chris Weidman still has problems now. So it might be the last time.”

[lawrence-related id=2748536,2748532,2748375,2748086]

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 303.

Dana White reacts to Conor McGregor’s UFC 303 withdrawal: ‘It’s the business, man’

Dana White has gotten accustomed to saving UFC cards after major cancellations.

[autotag]Dana White[/autotag] has gotten accustomed to saving UFC cards after major cancellations.

[autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) was forced to withdraw from his highly anticipated return against Michael Chandler (23-8 MMA, 2-3 UFC) June 29 at T-Mobile Arena due to an undisclosed injury.

The promotion scrambled, and put together a new main event for UFC 303 – a light heavyweight title-fight rematch between champion Alex Pereira and Jiri Prochazka. An exciting featherweight matchup between Brian Ortega and rising star Diego Lopes was also added as the new co-main event.

For White, it’s just another day in the office.

“It’s the business, man,” White told Sports Business Journal. “This is the way it goes. And from here on, I’m not going to talk about it until when he’s healed and he’s right. Then we’ll look at the landscape and see what we can figure out.”

McGregor isn’t the only big star the UFC had to find a replacement for. Undefeated Khamzat Chimaev (13-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) was forced out of Saturday’s UFC on ABC 6  headliner vs. Robert Whittaker in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia due to illness.

Stepping in to face Whittaker (25-7 MMA, 16-5 UFC) on short notice is rising middleweight contender Ikram Aliskerov (15-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC).

“It’s been interesting because we had to switch the Saudi main event, which is next weekend, you know what I mean? It’s f*cking days away,” White said. “So for us to put in this guy (Aliskerov), who is 15-1, he’s Muslim and his only loss is to Khamzat Chimaev, and everyone in the division said no to fighting him except Robert Whittaker (is a good result). … I’m very happy (with the quality of the replacement fights).”

[lawrence-related id=2748536,2748532,2748375,2748086]

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 303.

Unfortunate circumstances: 15 unforeseen injuries that ended UFC main events

Injuries are part of the game in MMA, but there’s nothing worse than one ends a marquee UFC fight.

While the term “freak injury” might not be appropriate to use when discussing a sport that is inherently dangerous, 14 UFC main events have ended in unforeseen injuries – broken legs, separated shoulders, eye pokes, etc. – that don’t typically come in the sequence of MMA combat.

Scroll below to see a chronology of UFC main events that ended in that nature.

Note: Injuries sustained on a TKO due to strikes or tapout due to a submission are not included, nor are retirements on the stool due to extended fight damage or exhaustion. Laceration-based stoppages also are not included since they come as an intentional result of the opposition’s attack.

Rafael dos Anjos rips Conor McGregor with callback after UFC 303 withdrawal: ‘It’s just a bruise’

Rafael dos Anjos has seemingly been waiting for more than eight years to take a dig at Conor McGregor after a UFC injury withdrawal.

[autotag]Rafael dos Anjos[/autotag] has seemingly been waiting for more than eight years to take a dig at [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] after an injury.

Dos Anjos was the victim of much vitriol when, as UFC lightweight champion, he pulled out of a scheduled title defense against then-featherweight champ McGregor at UFC 196 in March 2016 due to a broken foot.

McGregor has continued to take shots at dos Anjos in the years since, and it’s clear the Brazilian hasn’t forget about it.

So when McGregor was forced to withdraw from his anticipated comeback fight against Michael Chandler at UFC 303 on June 29 in Las Vegas due to injury, dos Anjos took his moment to throw shade back at “The Notorious” in a deep cut callback (via X):

It’s just a bruise, take some ibuprofen.

McGregor has issued a statement on his first career UFC withdrawal, and Chandler has shared his thoughts, as well. It appears both men plan to have the fight rescheduled for a later date, but nothing has been announced by UFC at this time.

[lawrence-related id=2748532,2748526,2748375,2748224]

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 303.

Michael Chandler tells Conor McGregor ‘no hard feelings’ over UFC 303 scratch: ‘My heart is full’

Michael Chandler was predictably classy in response to Conor McGregor’s injury withdrawal from UFC 303.

[autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag] was predictably classy in response to [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag]’s withdrawal from UFC 303.

McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) finally issued a statement Saturday in the aftermath of his removal from the planning June 29 headliner with Chandler (23-8 MMA, 2-3 UFC) at T-Mobile Arena. “The Notorious” confirmed he’s been dealing with an injury and needed more time to recover, which was met with a swarm of criticism from the MMA community.

Multiple notables, including UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier, has cast doubt over McGregor ever competing again as the timeline goes past three years since he suffered a broken leg against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264.

[lawrence-related id=2748526,2748375,2748086]

McGregor said he’s “confident” he will make it back to the octagon, and he has Chandler’s full support. Chandler offered an uplifting message to McGregor and said he will see him “soon” inside the cage (via X):

No hard feelings. Heal up. My heart is full. See you soon.

In addition to his response to McGregor, 35, the former three-time Bellator champion Chandler, 38, who hasn’t fought since a submission loss to Poirier at UFC 281 in November 2022, provided an “official statement” on the situation (via X):

Official statement: “I’m here, just as in 2009 when I started. The most reliable man in MMA. See you when I see you.”

A new timeline for McGregor vs. Chandler has not been revealed at this time. MMA journalist Ariel Helwani has reported the promotion and fighters are hopeful for August or September.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 303.

Conor McGregor details ‘very tough’ UFC 303 injury withdrawal, ‘confident’ in future return

Conor McGregor is “in good spirits” after being forced to withdraw for the first time in his UFC career against Michael Chandler.

[autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] is “in good spirits” after being forced to withdraw from a fight for the first time in his UFC career against Michael Chandler at UFC 303.

McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) was expected to return to competition after nearly three years against Chandler (23-8 MMA, 2-3 UFC) in the June 29 headliner at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, but then he sustained an injury that led to his withdrawal and a complete overhaul of the event.

There was an attempt to keep the fight and date together after McGregor picked up the injury (which still hasn’t been specified), but ultimately he could not recover in time to perform. “The Notorious” confirmed as much during his first statement on the situation Saturday, and said the difficult decision to call it off was made collectively with his team and the UFC brass (via X):

Very tough to be ruled out of my scheduled return bout. I picked up an injury prior to the press conference that required more time to heal than was available to me. The decision to postpone the fight was not made lightly, but one made in consultation with my doctors, the UFC, and my team. My fans and opponent deserve me at my best for this fight and we will get there! Thank you for the messages of support, I am in good spirits and confident I’ll be back! ☘️

McGregor, 35, did not reveal a timeline for when the matchup with Chandler, 38, could be rescheduled.

[lawrence-related id=2748477,2748375,2748086]

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 303.