How Conor McGregor vs Michael Chandler Can Headline UFC 306 Riyadh Season Noche UFC? Dana White’s Change to Mexican Independence Day PPV Explained

UFC CEO Dana White has sent shockwaves through the MMA community with the latest update on what he’d termed, “…the greatest live sporting event anyone has ever seen.” UFC 306, set to take place on September 14, has now been rebranded by the promotion as ‘Riyadh Season Noche UFC’ instead of the traditional PPV nomenclature.

The event is scheduled to take place at the ‘Sphere’ in Las Vegas and will be the second ‘Noche UFC’ since last year’s event which was headlined by a women’s flyweight championship rematch between Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko. So far, there haven’t been any announcements for fights on the card, and fans have also been speculating about the possibility of Conor McGregor making his long-awaited comeback in ‘The Sphere’. As such, let’s take a look at all we know about the changes to UFC 306 and if ‘The Notorious’ could step into the Octagon at this massive event!

Dana White and the UFC unveil the new look for UFC 306 at the Sphere

The announcement of the UFC 306 ‘rebrand’ was made in spectacular fashion with the UFC utilizing the Sphere’s massive exterior screen to unveil the new title. The graphic, revealing Riyadh Season as the title sponsor, marks the first instance of a live UFC event having a title partner. Reports indicate that the rebranded event will feature high-visibility placement of Riyadh Season inside the cage, on the broadcast, and in all marketing materials.

After the promotion’s debut in Saudi Arabia recently, UFC boss Dana White stated in the post-event press conference, “It’s one of the biggest sporting events of all time, not just in this sport, and we’re going to be the first live transmission ever from the Sphere…”

Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the Saudi General Entertainment Authority, also addressed the partnership as he revealed in a statement, “The UFC brand is recognized globally with its huge fanbase, and this aligns with our own vision for Riyadh Season to collaborate to create and stage world-class events.”

The new direction for the event has also led to a wave of speculation about Conor McGregor possibly being tapped in by White to be the headliner for this event. ‘The Notorious’ was originally scheduled to take on Michael Chandler at UFC 303 on June 29, however, the Irishman recently revealed that he suffered from an injury to his toe and as such, has withdrawn from the fight. This now poses the question, will the Irishman’s return be possible at ‘Riyadh Season Noche UFC’ considering the massive visibility and scale of the event?

‘The Notorious’s teammate hints at a September return for Irish MMA icon

Conor McGregor had already made his interest known about a fight at the Sphere as he’d previously proclaimed on social media, “I wish for (the Diaz fight) on Mexican Independence Day in the Sphere, Chandler, June. Diaz, September. I have let this be known.”

But with the injury derailing his plans for the June 29 return against Chandler, and Nate Diaz currently a free agent and not under a UFC contract, it does make sense that ‘The Notorious’ could now face Chandler at ‘Riyadh Season Noche UFC’ instead. The possibility of their canceled UFC 303 clash now being scheduled for September has also been supported by a teammate and friend of McGregor in an interview with talkSPORT MMA.

Peter Queally, a Bellator lightweight fighter, and McGregor’s long-time teammate stated, “It seems like they will endeavor to make that fight in September time. Something like that maybe. That’s what I’m hearing. That’s what you can look forward to if they can make it happen.”

Whether or not ‘The Notorious’ will headline this event remains to be seen, but his involvement would certainly elevate the spectacle and make it a moment for the ages for the MMA fandom. Do you think the UFC should set up the Conor McGregor vs Michael Chandler bout at the sphere? Why or Why not? Share your thoughts in the comments below!