Will Conor McGregor step into the Octagon on June 29 against Michael Chandler? That seems to be the question on everyone’s mind! The frenzy amongst the fan base began when the UFC revealed that the UFC 303 press conference scheduled to take place on June 3 in Dublin, Ireland was postponed just 12 hours before the start time. The official statement released by the promotion stated, “Dear UFC Fans, The #UFC303 press conference scheduled for Monday, June 3rd in Dublin, Ireland at 3Arena has been postponed until further notice, we sincerely apologize to all the fans who were planning to attend.”

Since then, there have been no new updates regarding the postponement, which has only fueled the fire of speculation amongst the MMA world. This has also led to multiple theories being posted online that hint at the possibility of the UFC 303 main event being canceled, as such, let’s dive in and explore the complex situation and responses being made by prominent names like Michael Chandler, Dana White, and Ariel Helwani!

Conor McGregor’s cryptic tweet demystified by UFC veteran

According to former UFC fighter Josh Thomson there may be 2 possible reasons behind why the UFC 303 press conference in Dublin was cancelled. Speaking on an episode of the ‘Weighing In’ podcast, Thomson revealed, “A couple of sources that I have heard from, was that he is dealing with a little bit of injury you know Conor is and so that they may, he should be good to go for the fight time. But if he is dealing with the injury, they did not want him being visually seen at the press conference…”

However, he also clarified that he doesn’t exactly know what the injury is, and his co-host, veteran MMA referee, ‘Big’ John McCarthy also agreed with his reasoning. Thomson further went on to reveal the second reason behind the delay may be the fact that McGregor’s training camp isn’t going as well as he would have liked and that’s why he’s looking to ‘push’ the date for his return.

Thomson stated, “My second take is from somebody else and they said they, he, is actually going to try to extend the camp. He wants more time trying to push this off; until you know, later.”

It’s important to note that there has been no indication by either McGregor or the UFC if that is indeed the case as ‘The Notorious’ posted an apology message for his fans on X but didn’t provide any clarity on the situation.

McGregor stated, “In consultation with the UFC, today’s press conference was canceled due to a series of obstacles outside of our control. I apologize to my Irish fans, and fans around the world, for the inconvenience, and appreciate all your passion and support….”

The Irishman ended his post by indicating that he is still ready to make his return to the Octagon and if Thomson is correct, then the delay may just be a bump in the road with the fight still being on. Nevertheless, there have also been other indications about all not being well for the UFC 303 main event as the UFC and Dana White have made some interesting changes to the online presence for the card!  

Dana White’s major changes to UFC 303 and ESPN causes a stir

According to post on X by the ‘OOC MMA’ account, which was also shared by a user on Reddit, there are already signs pointing towards trouble in paradise for Conor McGregor’s fight against Michael Chandler at UFC 303. The post revealed multiple hints that point towards the possibility of the main event for the card being canceled.

The first hint they brought up was the fact that “UFC 303 is no longer being advertised on PPV”. The same was also confirmed by the ‘MMA Joey’ account on X, who shared screenshots of the ESPN+ website and revealed that the card is no longer available for ‘pre-purchase’.

Secondly, they pointed out that the UFC and Dana White have “privated the Conor McGregor free fight videos posted a few days ago”. Usually, the UFC’s YouTube account posts videos of memorable fights from athletes to build hype for upcoming events, and with the McGregor fight videos now being taken down, it has fanned the flames of speculation even further.

For the third hint, they brought attention to the fact that there haven’t been any official statements from either McGregor or Dana White regarding the swirl of rumors and speculations surrounding UFC 303.  

These hints collectively suggest that the much-anticipated main event might be in jeopardy, leaving fans eagerly awaiting official confirmation about the fight’s status. Because Michael Chandler, the other half of the UFC 303 main event, has also made a cryptic post regarding the fight’s status despite veteran MMA journalist, Ariel Helwani indicating that there is still “hope”.

Michael Chandler hints at cancellation despite Ariel Helwani’s positive assurance

In a cryptic workout video posted on X, Michael Chandler captioned the post, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” Martin Luther King Jr. #UFC303”

The quote could be a reference to the situation with his UFC 303 main event status possibly falling through despite his wait of almost 2-years to step back into the Octagon. It could even be a subtle nod in McGregor’s direction to push through whatever adversity he is facing and show up on the contractually agreed fight. While it could be a sign of the fight getting canceled and Chandler facing a monumental setback, according to Ariel Helwani, there is still a glimmer of hope on the horizon. 

Responding to a fan asking for an update on the situation, Helwani posted the following statement on X, “No news at the moment. The hope is still that the fight is on. There is positivity, I’d say. But they have sent out feelers to see who might be able to fill in, either as a replacement or an entirely new fight at the top of the bill. Still developing, and still some time.”

In conclusion, the MMA community remains hopeful that the much-awaited clash between McGregor and Chandler will still take place, with fans and fighters alike holding their breath, waiting for definitive news about one of the most anticipated bouts of the year. 

Do you think there’s a chance that UFC 303 gets canceled? What do you think about the ‘hints’ being referenced by the MMA-sphere online? Share your thoughts in the comments below!