The MMA fandom might be bubbling with excitement for Conor McGregor’s return at UFC 303 but the fans aren’t pleased with the recently revealed fight order for the PPV. The Irish MMA icon is set to make his return to the cage against Michael Chandler on June 29, after almost 3 years away from competition. The pair was originally scheduled to clash last year after the conclusion of the TUF 31 season, but issues with McGregor’s drug testing status and his Hollywood commitments led to the fight being delayed.
#UFC303 PPV Main Card pic.twitter.com/zEJr1EFm4m
— Marcel Dorff 🇳🇱🇮🇩 (@BigMarcel24) June 2, 2024
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But the fight was eventually confirmed and the two men are set to clash at welterweight for this bout, with the fans expecting a fireworks display inside the cage between the pair known for their action-packed styles. UFC CEO Dana White has also recently announced that in order to build hype for the event, the promotion is planning to hold a press conference in Dublin, reminiscent of the 2015 events held to promote McGregor’s clash against Jose Aldo.
According to a report shared by BloodyElbow, the tickets for the event were sold out within minutes of being available on Ticketmaster. However, the enthusiasm by the fandom may have been dampened by the recent revelations about the rest of the fights on the PPV card!
With the fight day rapidly approaching, the UFC recently also announced the rest of the fights for the PPV event but it hasn’t exactly found favor with the fans. The co-main event for the event will be a light-heavyweight clash between Jamahal Hill and Carlos Ulberg, and other fights that have been confirmed include Mayra Bueno Silva vs Macy Chaisson, Joe Pyfer vs Marc-Andre Barriault and Ian Machado Garry taking on UFC’s newest addition and former Bellator star, Michael ‘Venom’ Page.
Fans were quick to express their frustration, with many focusing on the inclusion of certain fighters on the main card and didn’t hold back in their responses. Here’s a look at what the netizens had to say!
Conor McGregor’s UFC 303 PPV card draws heavy criticism from the MMA fandom
One fan claimed that the inclusion of Mayra Bueno Silva on the main card for the PPV is one of the reasons the community has been critical of the event
Why TF is Mayra Bueno Silva on a main card do they not want us to buy the PPV
— Trojan Condoms (@TrojansParody) June 2, 2024
However, another fan pointed out that the UFC 303 card is actually better than the UFC 302 event that featured a lightweight title clash between Islam Makhachev and Dustin Poirier
A mcgregor card is better than tonight’s card… insane actually
— k ⚡️ (@Dsyrukyan) June 2, 2024
Fans also pointed out that Michael Page’s fight against Ian Garry will be bumped up in the card in their opinion
Pyfer vs Barriault above MVP fight surely that will change…
— Jo (@lufcjo) June 2, 2024
Another fan chimed in by re-iterating their confusion as to why the Page vs Garry fight isn’t being featured more prominently in the PPV
not sure as to why mvp vs ian garry isn’t there featured fight
— nothingwsthesame (@bluemontanaa) June 2, 2024
While some fans were more blunt in their responses and clearly stated their displeasure with the PPV event
What the fuck is that order? Actually a joke Jesus christ
— BarbaricMMA (@UFCUFCUFC13) June 2, 2024
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And one fan even claimed that Macy Chaisson’s placement on the card made them “sick”
Macy Chaisson featured bout got me sick
— Jacob Keller (@Jaykelp) June 2, 2024
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In conclusion, as UFC 303 approaches, fans will be watching closely to see how the event unfolds and whether it lives up to their expectations despite the contentious bout order. The vocal criticism underscores the passionate and involved nature of the MMA community, particularly when it comes to high-profile events like a Conor McGregor card!