After failing to return in 2023 due to the USADA fiasco, Conor McGregor couldn’t fulfill his promise to return at UFC 303 either. An injury after three years of healing busted Dana White’s plans for the Irishman’s grand return against Michael Chandler.

Journalist Ariel Helwani revealed, through his sources, what the sentiment was like in McGregor’s team, including John Kavanagh and others, before the main event got called off.

The sentiment that surrounded Conor McGregor’s team before pulling out of UFC 303

Ariel Helwani reminded the MMA community that despite what other fighters have to say about Conor McGregor and his skill, the Irishman has not once, in his UFC career, pulled out of a fight. He was once pushed out of UFC 200, where he was supposed to compete against Nate Diaz, but McGregor had not made that decision himself. It was UFC’s decision.

“The UFC didn’t feel confident and they reached out for [UFC] 200, a huge event for them. They pulled him [McGregor] and made it [UFC] 202. He never pulled out of that fight. He’s never pulled out of a fight,” Helwani said on his YouTube channel.

The combat sports journalist then stressed upon the injury situation. Pointing out what went wrong against Dustin Poirier in his last fight, Ariel Helwani claimed that McGregor’s team suggested that he should focus more on being 100% fit before the fight, rather than trying to carry the weight of UFC 303 on his back and aiming a comeback in June itself.

“He was injured going into the last Poirier fight and so what happened? [His] leg snapped, and he hasn’t fought since… so the feeling amongst his team was, ‘Why are you gonna go and compromise? The fight is too big, you’ve waited too long… it’s a legacy fight… maybe one fight away from a potential title shot. You can’t have the pressure of the event on your shoulders,'” Ariel Helwani added.

Helwani admitted that Conor McGregor pulling out is a “nightmare of a situation” for the fans. However, there’s not much to worry about his fitness, as it won’t take him too long to be available for the fight again.

A couple of months is all ‘The Notorious’ needs

Nobody is quite sure what kind of injury Conor McGregor is dealing with. However, according to Helwani’s sources, the injury is not as serious as the last injury was. The Irishman would need just a couple of months to nurse his undisclosed injury and could be ready by August.

The targeted August return of McGregor has got the UFC matchmakers discussing potential dates for his fight against Chandler. While the former dual-weight title holder has expressed his wish to fight at the Sphere in Las Vegas, it may not happen since those plans are already in motion.

What do you make of Ariel Helwani’s revelation of inside details about Conor McGregor’s pullout? Drop your comments below.