Conor McGregor Set to Return to UFC Octagon Against Michael Chandler at UFC 303

After a long wait, the UFC superstar Conor McGregor has finally received an official date for his highly anticipated comeback to the Octagon.

The UFC has confirmed that McGregor will face off against Michael Chandler in a 170-pound bout at UFC 303, set to take place during International Fight Week on June 29. This marks McGregor’s first fight in almost three years.

McGregor, undoubtedly one of the biggest stars in UFC history, last competed in July 2021, where he suffered a leg injury in his bout against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264.

The clash between McGregor and Chandler was set up after the two served as coaches on the recent season of The Ultimate Fighter reality show. The plan was for them to square off following the season’s conclusion last year.

McGregor, however, faced delays in finalizing his return due to his involvement in the remake of Road House, where he starred alongside co-star on Amazon Prime Video, which premiered last month.

Despite McGregor’s need to promote the film, he became increasingly frustrated with the lack of progress in securing his comeback fight, as evident in his Instagram post urging, “Get the f–king date set,” seemingly aimed at UFC officials.

ESPN reported that McGregor had initially announced on Jan. 1 that he would be returning during UFC’s annual International Fight Week. Yet, the official confirmation of his return only came from UFC President Dana White during the post-fight press conference of UFC 300 on Saturday night.

With just one win since 2016, the former two-division champion McGregor faces a formidable challenge against Chandler, known for delivering thrilling fights in the octagon.