Tag: Conor McGregor

Rafael dos Anjos mocks Conor McGregor after UFC 303 fight exit: ‘It’s just a bruise, take some Ibuprofen’

Rafael dos Anjos mocks Conor McGregor after UFC 303 injury it's only a bruise take some ibuprofenFormer undisputed lightweight champion, Rafael dos Anjos has hit out at Conor McGregor – eight years on from their…

Rafael dos Anjos mocks Conor McGregor after UFC 303 injury it's only a bruise take some ibuprofen

Former undisputed lightweight champion, Rafael dos Anjos has hit out at Conor McGregor – eight years on from their failed title fight at 155lbs, mocking the Dubliner after injury ruled him from a UFC 303 return against Michael Chandler later this month.

dos Anjos, a former undisputed lightweight champion and current welterweight contender, has been sidelined since UFC 299 back in March, suffering a unanimous decision defeat against Polish contender, Mateusz Gamrot.

Rafael dos Anjos shuts door on 155lbs future eyes July return to UFC at welterweight
Mandatory Credit: Zuffa LLC

As for McGregor, the former two-division champion was forced to exit his UFC 303 return during International Fight Week later this month, after suffering an undisclosed injury – which is expected to sideline him for at least two months. 

Conor McGregor releases statement after UFC 303 fight withdrawal I'm confident I'll be back

“Very tough to be ruled out of my scheduled return bout,” Conor McGregor posted on his official Instagram account. “I picked up an injury prior to the press conference that required more time than was available to me. The decision to postpone the fight was not made lightly, but one made in consultation with my doctors, the UFC, and my team.”

“My fans and opponent deserve me at my best for this fight and we weill get there!” Conor McGregor continued. “Thank you for the messages of support, I am in good spirits and confident I’ll be back!”

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Rafael dos Anjos pokes fun at Conor McGregor

And poking fun at long-time rival, McGregor on social media, Niteroi veteran, dos Anjos questioned the legitimacy of the Dubliner’s injury.

“It’s just a bruise, take some Ibruprofen,” Rafael dos Anjos posted on his official X account. 

Slated to fight McGregor back in 2016 at UFC 196, then-lightweight champion, dos Anjos suffered a fractured metatarsal just two weeks out from his fight with the former, ruling him from the pair’s championship showdown.

Do you think Rafael dos Anjos and Conor McGregor will ever settle their differences?

Video – Michael Chandler pours himself a tequila following Conor McGregor fight cancelation: ‘Welp…’

Video - Michael Chandler pours himself a tequila following Conor McGregor fight cancelation: 'Welp...'Michael Chandler finds the best way to numb the pain of losing millions of dollars is to pour yourself…

Video - Michael Chandler pours himself a tequila following Conor McGregor fight cancelation: 'Welp...'

Michael Chandler finds the best way to numb the pain of losing millions of dollars is to pour yourself a big-ass glass of tequila.

It’s been a rough year and a half for the former Bellator champion, but all of his patience looked as though it was about to pay off. Two weeks away from the biggest fight of his mixed martial arts career, the rug was suddenly swept out from under him after his UFC 303 opponent, Conor McGregor, was forced to bow out of the bout due to an undisclosed injury.

Conor McGregor

Offering his first reaction to the unfortunate news, Chandler decided that the best course of action would be to tie one on.

“Welp…back #onHiatus,” Chandler wrote in the caption, a nod to his Hiatus brand tequila.

With Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler off, fight fans will see a light heavyweight title rematch at uFC 303

Instead of seeing Conor McGregor make his “greatest comeback in combat sports history,” fans inside T-Mobile Arena and those watching around the world will be treated to a light heavyweight championship rematch. Stepping in on two weeks’ notice, reigning 205-pound titleholder Alex Pereira will run back his November clash with Jiri Prochazka in the new UFC 303 headliner.

Alex Pereira vs. Prochazka 2

Also announced for the newly revamped card is a co-main event showdown between Brian Ortega and Diego Lopes.

Carlos Ulberg also finds himself with a new opponent after Jamahal Hill was forced to back out due to a knee injury. Now, ‘Black Jag’ will face perennial contender Anthony ‘Lionheart’ Smith in a light heavyweight contest.

Smith vs. Ulberg

As for McGregor vs. Chandler, no official announcements have been made. However, The MMA Hour host Ariel Helwani reported that the promotion wants to reschedule the fight for sometime in August or September.

Conor McGregor releases statement after UFC 303 fight withdrawal: ‘I am confident I will be back’

Conor McGregor releases statement after UFC 303 fight withdrawal I'm confident I'll be backFormer two-weight champion, Conor McGregor has released a statement for the first time since he was forced from his…

Conor McGregor releases statement after UFC 303 fight withdrawal I'm confident I'll be back

Former two-weight champion, Conor McGregor has released a statement for the first time since he was forced from his UFC 303 return against Michael Chandler later this month, confimring he has suffered an undisclosed injury, but remains confident of returning to the Octagon.

McGregor, a former undisputed lightweight and featherweight titleholder, was officially ruled from his scheduled return at UFC 303 later this month during International Fight Week, seeing a fight with Chandler at the welterweight limit officially scratched from the card.

Michael Chandler urged to move on from Conor McGregor after failed fight he's done

In the pair’s place comes an undisputed light heavyweight championship main event, with Alex Pereira rematching former gold holder, Jiri Prochazka for gold in Las Vegas in just less than two weeks’ time.

Conor McGregor releases statement after UFC 303 exit

And addressing his exit from UFC 303 later this month, McGregor, who has been sidelined for three years – confirmed he was suffering from an injury, but vowed to return to action sooner than later.

Conor McGregor not dealing with severe injury amid UFC 303 exit fight return likely for the summer
Mandatory Credit: John Locher – AP

“Very tough to be ruled out of my scheduled return bout,” Conor McGregor posted on his official Instagram account. “I picked up an injury prior to the press conference that required more time than was available to me. The decision to postpone the fight was not made lightly, but one made in consultation with my doctors, the UFC, and my team.”

“My fans and opponent deserve me at my best for this fight and we weill get there!” Conor McGregor continued. “Thank you for the messages of support, I am in good spirits and confident I’ll be back!”

Also releasing a statement following McGregor’s exit from a welterweight clash, Chandler claimed he always knew that waiting for a fight with the Dublin striker was anything from a “safe bet” for his career.

Dana White shuts down Conor McGregor return UFC 303 I'm not gonna talk until he's healed

“@thenotoriousmma was never the safe bet as an opponent,” Michael Chandler posted on his official Instagram account. “He was always the highest risk. Maybe the biggest reward… but the biggest opportunity. There is no right or wrong in business… you only take risk to grow, or remain comfortable where you are. Embrace the uncertainty. Seek the opportunity. Take calculated risk… That’s what @mikechandlermma does.”

“And if it doesn’t go as planned… redirect the course to something even more great,” Michael Chandler continued. “Our respect to the man who represents the fight world better than anyone we’ve ever known. NO FEAR. NO LIMITS. NO EXCUSES. Make hard work your passion – who cares who’s on the other side of the punch.”

Do you expect to see Conor McGregor fight again later this year?

Daniel Cormier urges Michael Chandler to move on from Conor McGregor after failed fight at UFC 303: ‘He’s done’

Michael Chandler urged to move on from Conor McGregor after failed fight he's doneHall of Fame star and promotional color-commenator, Daniel Cormier has urged Michael Chandler to move on from a failed…

Michael Chandler urged to move on from Conor McGregor after failed fight he's done

Hall of Fame star and promotional color-commenator, Daniel Cormier has urged Michael Chandler to move on from a failed UFC 303 fight with Conor McGregor this month – claiming he expects the Dubliner to now retire definitively from mixed martial arts.

McGregor, a former undisputed lightweight and featherweight champion under the banner of the promotion, has been sidelined for the last three years – after fracturing his left tibia and fibula in a first round doctor’s stoppage TKO loss to common-foe, Dustin Poirier.

Conor Dana UFC

And now forced from a UFC 303 return during International Fight Week later this month, McGregor has been struck with an undisclosed injury – and whilst it has been described as not “severe”, the veteran is still expected to be out of action for at least two months.

Screenshot 2024 06 06 103306 1

Seeing himself scratched from the UFC 303 headliner as a result, Chandler will watch on as undisputed light heavyweight kingpin, Alex Pereira drafts into a main event fight on just two weeks notice – in a rematch against former champion, Jiri Prochazka.

Michael Chandler urged to move on from Conor McGregor fight

With speculation rife regarding the immediate fighting future of McGregor – whom UFC CEO, Dana White elected against discussing in the aftermath of his exit from the pay-per-view card, Chandler has been urged to chase other fights by Cormier, in order to snap his almost two-year hiatus.

Michael Chandler plans violent fight with Conor McGregor at UFC 303 you're going to see a car crash
Mandatory Credit: Chris Unger – Zuffa LLC

“He’s (Michael Chandler) got some things to weigh going forward because I don’t know that he should wait anymore,” Daniel Cormier said on his YouTube channel. “I think it’s time to move off of this, and I believe that the overwhelming sentiment is that [Conor McGregor] is done.”

“I thought Conor McGregor was going to come back because to me, Conor McGregor’s a fighter,” Cormier explained. “I know, skill-for-skill, the Conor McGregor of 2015 isn’t the same guy. But I thought that the star was still the same. I just don’t know that he wants to fight. Especially right now.”

Do you think Michael Chandler should move away from a fight with Conor McGregor?

Dana White shuts down questions amid Conor McGregor’s exit from UFC 303: ‘I’m not gonna talk until he’s healed’

Dana White shuts down Conor McGregor return UFC 303 I'm not gonna talk until he's healedUFC CEO, Dana White has claimed he is not willing to talk about the immediate fighting future of former…

Dana White shuts down Conor McGregor return UFC 303 I'm not gonna talk until he's healed

UFC CEO, Dana White has claimed he is not willing to talk about the immediate fighting future of former two-weight champion, Conor McGregor until the Dubliner is “healed” from his undisclosed injury, which has officially ruled him from a UFC 303 comeback.

McGregor, a former undisputed lightweight and featherweight champion, was slated to headline UFC 303 later this month during International Fight Week, taking on long-time foe, Michael Chandler in a welterweight division return.

Conor McGregor shares cryptic video amid UFC 303 fight status worry he's out and he knows it

However, earlier this week, promotional boss, White confirmed McGregor’s return fight has been cancelled, with the veteran striker suffering an undisclosed injury – which will reportedly sideline him for at least two months.

In turn, the UFC 303 headliner has been set in the form of an undisputed light heavyweight championship rematch – with Alex Pereira taking on former titleholder, Jiri Prochazka in a short-notice showdown in Las Vegas.

Conor Dana UFC

Furthermore, the promotion have also since reshuffled the event’s co-headliner, with former featherweight title challenger, Brian Ortega taking on the surging, Diego Lopes, who is fresh from a finish over Sodiq Yusuff at UFC 300 earlier this year. 

Dana White unwilling to discuss Conor McGregor’s future

Sharing his thoughts publicly for the first time since McGregor’s exit from his UFC 303 return against Chandler – White refused to be drawn on the Dubliner’s future, claiming he won’t be discussing his future until his injury is past him.

Conor McGregor confirms UFC 303 fight with Michael Chandler is on amid scrutiny see ya's soon

“It’s the business, man,” Dana White told Sports Business Journal. “This is the way it goes. And from here on, I’m not going to talk about it until when he’s (Conor McGregor) healed and he’s right. Then we’ll look at the landscape and see what we can figure out.” 

Reports has also emerged regarding the possibility of a rescheduled pairing between McGregor and Chandler, with a welterweight clash now targeted to take place potentially at the end of August, if not at an event in September. 

DO you expect to see Conor McGregor fight later this summer?