Conor McGregor reveals injury that forced him out of UFC 303: ‘I’ll be back … Chandler or not’

Conor McGregor has finally revealed the injury that forced him to drop out of his scheduled return against Michael Chandler at UFC 303.

The Irish superstar was making his comeback after a three-year long absence, which followed a gruesome broken leg suffered in his fight against Dustin Poirier back in 2021. Unfortunately, this time around McGregor says he suffered a broken toe that prevented him from competing but he definitely plans on fighting again, although he’s not guaranteeing that Chandler remains his opponent.

“Man we were so f*cking super ready for this fight, it is absolutely gut wrenching to take,” McGregor wrote on Instagram. “I want that new Bugatti! How I gone justify to myself getting that now without banking these fights. We had a lapse in concentration and engaged in a training session without wearing the full protective gear and I hit the toe off the elbow and broke the toe clean. It needs a few weeks that’s it. I couldn’t justify to my team, or fans, that I make the walk hindered again. That walk has been seen.

“This next walk has got to be, and it will be, 100 percent Conor McGregor. The fans deserve it and we are getting close. A slight lapse in concentration and a nuisance of an injury was picked up. That’s it. Take the lesson and move forward. I will get this back. I’ve got to. I’ve got two fights left on my contract. I’ve got Bugattis and more yachts on my mind. I’m coming to shine. I gotta just take my time. Cause I still got yachts and Bentleys and mansions and all the rest. Ya know yaself. But ya get me, I’ll be back. See ya’s soon. See ya at the top. Chandler or not.”

He also posted a photo of his mangled toe on Twitter while taking a shot at soon-to-be UFC Hall of Famer Chael Sonnen, who initially claimed that McGregor fell out of the fight because he went to rehab.

“Chael shut your pie hole, hoe,” McGregor wrote. “You tap from ground and pound.”

Rumors about McGregor potentially dropping out of UFC 303 came after a pre-fight press conference scheduled in Ireland was suddenly cancelled just hours before the event was supposed to take place. That immediately led to speculation that perhaps McGregor’s return was in jeopardy.

By all accounts, the former two-division UFC champion tried to do everything possible to still compete at UFC 303 but he eventually succumbed to the injury, which forced the promotion to shift plans for the card on June 29.

Chandler, who hasn’t fought since November 2022 while waiting for the chance to face McGregor, also dropped off the card. He remains steadfast that he wants to wait for that fight rather than taking on a new opponent.

McGregor doesn’t seem quite as resolved in the matchup against Chandler as he does just getting back in the octagon to fight again after his long layoff.

With McGregor vs. Chandler cancelled, UFC 303 is now headlined by light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira, who is actually recovering from a broken toe of his own, as he faces Jiri Prochazka in a rematch to cap off International Fight Week 2024.