Conor McGregor’s return to the Octagon has kept fans on the edge of their seats with multiple twists and turns in this ongoing saga! The MMA world was sent into a frenzy when the June 3 press conference in Dublin was canceled shortly before it was scheduled to take place causing widespread uproar in the MMA community. Rumors began circulating that the bout may be off or that McGregor has suffered an injury in training.

However, the fans breathed a sigh of relief when McGregor shared a training update on social media later and even apologized to the fans for the press conference cancellation. But it appears that the fight is once again on shaky ground as veteran MMA journalist, Ariel Helwani recently shared a concerning update on X regarding the developments surrounding UFC 303. As such, Chael Sonnen has come out to share his thoughts on Helwani’s update and what it means for ‘The Notorious’s June 29 return against Michael Chandler!

Chael Sonnen questions the UFC’s decision surrounding Conor McGregor and UFC 303 controversy

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, UFC analyst and former fighter, Chael Sonnen broke down Ariel Helwani’s statements and provided his expert insight into what it means for the UFC 303 main event. Helwani had shared on X, “But since this morning, multiple sources are now saying feelers are being sent out again for June 29. For a replacement and/or new fight(s). In short, there seems to pessimism all over again regarding the status of the 303 main event. Actually even more pessimism – it seems – than on Monday last week after the presser was canceled at the last minute.”

As such, Sonnen highlighted the fact that he’s still extremely curious about why the press conference was canceled. He stated, “I’ve asked this to very smart people and they will always tell me something like yeah, Conor said he couldn’t show up. I go, no, why was it canceled”

The UFC analyst raises a valid point as so far, there have been no statements released by the UFC or Conor McGregor’s camp about why the press conference was cancelled abruptly. While both have released apologetic statements for the fans, there’s still a mystery surrounding the actual reason behind the cancellation.

Sonnen went on to state, “I get that Conor wasn’t going to be there, why was it canceled? I can’t get around that. We’ve had press conferences in the past where guys have not shown up. We’ve had Conor McGregor press conferences where he did not show up multiple times.”

The UFC veteran’s persistent questioning of the reasons behind the press conference reflect the fandom’s concerns as well. As Sonnen pointed out, past press conferences have proceeded even in the absence of key fighters, making this abrupt cancellation even more puzzling. However, Michael Chandler, who has been waiting for the McGregor fight for a long-time, had made some different claims in a recent podcast interview!

Michael Chandler believes that McGregor will not disappoint his fans at UFC 303

Despite widespread rumors and speculation surrounding the UFC 303 main event, Michael Chandler has made it clear that the fight is still going to go according to the promotion’s plan. In a recent appearance on ‘The Pivot’ podcast, ‘Iron’ revealed, “The fight’s happening, where we are right now, there’s a lot of speculation but the fight is on. June 29. It’s happening”

He also confessed that he found out about the press conference cancellation after UFC 302 and even he wasn’t told the reason behind the set-back. But Chandler has remained hopeful as he pointed out, “Conor shows up under the bright lights. He lives for these moments.”

In conclusion, as the MMA world eagerly awaits more concrete information, the uncertainty surrounding UFC 303 continues to loom large putting the fandom on edge, eager for clarity and a confirmed path forward for one of the most anticipated UFC events of the year! Do you think the fight is canceled? Or will Conor McGregor step into the Octagon on June 29 despite all the controversy? Share your thoughts in the comments below!