McGregor Out, Pereira vs. Prochazka Headlines UFC 303

Conor McGregor’s highly anticipated return to the octagon has been postponed. The former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion has withdrawn from his scheduled bout against Michael Chandler at UFC 303 due to an injury. This last-minute change has significantly impacted the event’s lineup and ticket prices on the resale market.

In an announcement on social media platform X, UFC President Dana White confirmed McGregor’s injury, stating that the new main event for the pay-per-view show will be a light heavyweight title rematch between champion Alex Pereira and former champion Jiri Procházka. The Irish UFC star has not commented on the cancellation, but Chandler noted on X that neither he nor McGregor had ever pulled out of a fight in their careers until now.

While White provided no further details, MMA journalist Ariel Helwani reported that McGregor sustained the injury earlier this month, just days before a press conference in Dublin meant to promote the fight. Initially, it was believed McGregor might recover in time, but about 48 hours ago, it became clear the fight would not proceed.

The co-main event also faced changes. Former light heavyweight champ Jamahal Hill’s fight with Carlos Ulberg was canceled due to Hill’s injury and replaced with a featherweight bout between Brian Ortega and Diego Lopes.

UFC 303 is set to take place in Las Vegas on June 29.

Way over $20 million. That’s the revenue generated from ticket sales for UFC 303, as stated by White at a May press conference in Las Vegas. This figure marks the highest live gate in UFC history, and the first to surpass the $20 million mark. The record-breaking sales were largely driven by McGregor’s much-anticipated return to the octagon after nearly three years.

With McGregor out, ticket resale prices for the event are expected to drop. Initially, the average ticket price was around $843, over four times higher than typical UFC events. Last week, the cheapest resale ticket was $1,084, but has since dropped to $500 on StubHub. Most upper deck seats are now selling for less than $1,000.

The planned main event between McGregor and Chandler was set to be McGregor’s first MMA bout since UFC 264 in July 2021, where he lost to then-No.1 lightweight Dustin Poirier in the first round due to a doctor stoppage. This marked McGregor’s second consecutive loss to Poirier. Since then, McGregor has been focusing on his liquor business and movie career, starring in the remake of “Roadhouse” alongside Jake Gyllenhaal. The bout with Chandler had been built up over the past year, with both fighters coaching opposing teams in the 31st season of the reality competition show “The Ultimate Fighter.” In February, Chandler even appeared on a WWE show to call out McGregor.

UFC 303, despite the lineup changes, remains a significant event with high expectations for the light heavyweight title rematch between Pereira and Procházka.