McGregor vs Chandler is canceled – UFC 303 gets new main event

Conor McGregor. Photo: Gary A. Vasquez – USA TODAY Sports

The UFC 303 main event between Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler is canceled.

The much-anticipated return of ”The Notorious” will have to wait as the Irishman suffered an injury. UFC CEO Dana White confirmed the rumors on social media and simultaneously announced a new main event featuring light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira.

”Poatan” Pereira steps in on short notice to defend his title against a familiar foe, Jiri Prochazka. But that’s not all; White also announced a slew of new bouts, including a new co-main event between Brian Ortega and rising star Diego Lopes. Check out White’s announcement and the updated figth card below.

UFC 303 International Fight Week June 29th pic.twitter.com/P47PSsKcg0

— danawhite (@danawhite) June 14, 2024

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The news about McGregor’s injury comes after many days of speculation following the cancellation of a press conference at the very last moment. MMA reporter Ariel Helwani had been suggesting that the fight was close to being canceled, and now it’s finally official.

Here’s how the updated fight card looks ahead of UFC 303 on June 29:

• Light Heavyweight: Alex Pereira (c) vs. Jiří Procházka
• Featherweight: Brian Ortega vs. Diego Lopes
• Light Heavyweight: Anthony Smith vs. Carlos Ulberg
• Women’s Bantamweight Mayra Bueno Silva vs. Macy Chiasson
• Welterweight: Ian Machado Garry vs. Michael Page
• Middleweight: Joe Pyfer vs. Marc-André Barriault
• Featherweight: Cub Swanson vs. Andre Fili
• Featherweight: Charles Jourdain vs. Jean Silva
• Bantamweight: Payton Talbott vs. Yanis Ghemmouri
• Women’s Strawweight: Michelle Waterson-Gomez vs. Gillian Robertson
• Heavyweight: Andrei Arlovski vs. Martin Buday
• Flyweight: Rei Tsuruya vs. Carlos Hernandez
• Bantamweight: Ricky Simón vs. Vinicius Oliveira