Representatives for Irish megastar Conor McGregor snapped back at a recent claim made by Chael Sonnen.
Originally scheduled to step back inside the Octagon at UFC 303 for a long-awaited clash with former Bellator MMA champion Michael Chandler, ‘Mystic Mac’ bowed out of the bout weeks ahead of fight night due to an undisclosed injury.
In the days following the news, Sonnen suggested that McGregor had withdrawn not because of an injury, but because he was in rehab.
Chael Sonnen claims Conor McGregor pulled out of his fight vs Michael Chandler because he’s in rehab.
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— InsideFighting (@InsideFighting_) June 18, 2024
“What an incredible irony that both sides have these massive interests in alcohol and one side is in the middle of rehab for substance abuse including alcohol,” Sonnen said. “Not that that has anything to do with this. Did it just get hot in here? Oh it just got hot in here. Oh, the big guy just came out and said it, he wasn’t supposed to talk about that.
“Two guys are pushing alcohol, totally unrelated story,” he continued. “And then another guy is in rehab for alcohol and other substances. I’m just saying, that’s a tough story to tell. Not for nothing, that gets to be a little bit tough. Have this proper drink, I’ll see you in a proper while, cuz I’m in a proper facility right now, watching me not have drinks” (h/t MMA Mania).
Chael Sonnen backtracks on ‘Rehab’ comments After Conor McGregor’s PR Team Gets Involved
As the story began to make headlines, Karen Kessler, a PR representative for the Irishman, made a statement to multiple outlets denying Sonnen’s claim.
“The fight was canceled after an injury he sustained during training,” Kessler told TMZ. “He is looking forward to a new date.”
In another statement made to the New York Post, Kessler said: “Mr McGregor is with his family — and any other reports are incorrect.”
Setting the record straight and likely looking to avoid a potential lawsuit, Chael Sonnen released a follow-up statement of his own.
“I do not know that Conor [McGregor] is in rehab, for one,” he said in a new video on YouTube. “For two, I would not begrudge or tease Conor in the least if he was in rehab. I would be very proud of Conor, and I would imagine for somebody in his spot, to go into rehab is something you want to keep quiet. To do that in Ireland, I would imagine that he would have needed to humble himself greatly.
“So first off, I don’t know that he’s in rehab. Secondly, if he is in rehab, that would be awesome. That would be good stuff.”