Conor McGregor took to social media on New Years Eve to announce that his return would take place on June 29 next year against Michael Chandler.
The return of the Mac appears to finally be official as Conor McGregor took to social media on New Years Eve to make the long-awaited announcement.
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) December 31, 2023
McGregor announced that he would indeed be facing his opposing Ultimate Fighter coach Michael Chandler. But the fight will not be taking place at UFC 300 on April 13 as many fans had speculated, instead McGregor will fight on June 29 at what is scheduled to be International Fight Week in Las Vegas for 2024. McGregor also said the fight will be contested at the middleweight limit of 185 pounds although there have been no confirmations on that particular stipulation. It should be mentioned, McGregor mentioned the weight limit amidst great laughter.
Per Ariel Helwani of MMAFighting.com, McGregor had pushed to be on UFC 300 but after meeting with Dana White in Dubai, the two sides came to an agreement for a summer blockbuster in Sin City. In the same series of tweets, Helwani also stated that a welterweight title fight between champion Leon Edwards and top contender Belal Muhammad is targeted for UFC 300.
McGregor has not fought since July of 2021 where he suffered a shin fracture against Dustin Poirier in the first round of their rubber match. Since then, McGregor has documented his return on social media and continued to grow his brand outside the cage. As an entrepreneur, he launched Forged Irish Stout which has become a sponsorship staple at several major combat sports events. He was also the subject of the acclaimed Netflix documentary McGregor Forever that chronicled not only his recovery but also his previous fights dating back to the aftermath of his title bout against Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2018.
Chandler’s layoff has been nearly just as long as he has not fought since November of 2021 where he battled Dustin Poirier in a Fight of the Year candidate at Madison Square Garden. A longtime title holder in Bellator, Chandler’s UFC run has been electrifying with high profile bouts against Charles Oliveira, Justin Gaethje, Tony Ferguson, and Dustin Poirier. Earlier this year, he and McGregor were selected to coach the most recent season of The Ultimate Fighter where Chandler’s team dominated the opening round of the competition 7-1. Since then, Chandler has maintained his intention to fight McGregor despite the Irishman mentioning interest in several alternatives to him for his return bout.
No other bouts or an official event number have been for the June 29 fight date.
