Conor McGregor will take on Michael Chandler at UFC 303 on June 29 in Las Vegas; it will be McGregor's first UFC fight in three years after he broke his leg against Dustin Poirier; McGregor has 22 wins and six defeats to his name; Michael 'Venom' Page also fighting on card
Saturday 25 May 2024 07:15, UK
Conor McGregor will make his long-awaited return to the Octagon on June 29 when he takes on Michael Chandler at UFC 303 in Las Vegas.
It has been three years since McGregor last fought in the UFC after breaking his left leg in the first round of his trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier.
The UFC confirmed the welterweight bout following UFC 300 in Las Vegas on Saturday and it will be contested over five rounds, taking place at the end of International Fight Week.
McGregor has 22 wins and six defeats in his MMA career, only picking up one victory since becoming the UFC's first simultaneous two-weight champion in 2016.
His opponent Chandler has contested 31 bouts, winning 23 and losing eight.
"It's not that we've been working on it for ages," UFC chief executive Dana White said during the UFC 300 press conference.
"There are all kinds of things that go on behind the scenes, it's all about timing.
"Chandler has been ready but Conor hasn't been ready. We talked about this at one of the press conferences recently, he had a lot of obligations that he had to deal with.
"What you don't want him doing is accepting a fight when he's got a ton of obligations and he can't train 100 per cent for a fight.
"It's never hard with Conor, I say it all the time Conor has been a great partner and easy to deal with. We're back, he's a smart dude and Conor is a die-hard UFC guy and will be until he retires and beyond."
Undefeated Ian Garry from Ireland will take on UK's Michael 'Venom' Page on the card of the McGregor fight in a welterweight showdown.
Garry (14-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) faces Page (22-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC), a former Bellator title challenger coming off his UFC debut win against Kevin Holland at UFC 300.
"I've never actually met him," Page said. "I never like to judge too much from a distance, but he inspires me to get in shape because he just has an annoying air about him. If there was any motivation needed, it's just him talking."
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