UFC 303 Loses Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler, Co-Main Event in Grim Report

The UFC is working on totally new main and co-main events for UFC 303.

Michael Chandler will reportedly have to wait a little while longer to face Conor McGregor.

After a wild news week of twists and turns, we finally have some more answers as to how UFC 303 will go on. According to Ariel Helwani, International Fight Week won't include the return of the sport's biggest star in McGregor, as an injury appears to be to blame for his fight cancellation with Chandler.

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If that wasn't already bad enough, UFC 303 has also lost out on its co-main event: a featured light heavyweight bout between former champ Jamahal Hill and Carlos Ulberg, which was also reported by Helwani on Thursday - adding that a featherweight bout between Brian Ortega is being discussed as a new addition to the card.

The UFC has to yet to officially announce McGregor's and Hill's withdrawal from the record-breaking event (which has sold over $20M in gate) with plans to announce a new main and co-main event for UFC 303 all at once, as Helwani explains below.

January 18, 2020; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Conor McGregor celebrates his TKO victory against Donald Cerrone following UFC 246 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

"Now that the Saudi main event situation has been resolved, all the focus is on [UFC] 303," Helwani wrote on 'X'. "They have a new main event lined up (that doesn’t include McGregor and Chandler). They have a new co-main lined up (that doesn’t include Hill and Ulberg)."

"The consensus seems to be that they want to announce it all + the new date for McGregor x Chandler. August or September has been discussed, and that would likely mean creating a new PPV dates those months (8/31 and 9/28) have been discussed. That part - which is massive in all this - hasn’t been finalized. Hence the delay. Lots of moving parts. No talk, by the way, has centered around Chandler fighting someone else on 303. That was once discussed at the very beginning of all this but nothing made sense. The plan, at least as of right now, seems to be to just move it to later this year."

Now that the Saudi main event situation has been resolved, all the focus is on 303.

They have a new main event lined up (that doesn’t include McGregor and Chandler).

They have a new co-main lined up (that doesn’t include Hill and Ulberg).

The consensus seems to be that they…

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) June 13, 2024

The UFC's pay-per-view schedule for August and September currently consists of UFC 305 (Aug. 17) in Perth, Australia and UFC 306 (Sep. 14) at Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada.

As reported by Helwani, the new date for Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler has yet to been finalized, only discussed as of now.

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With only 16 days to go until UFC 303, we'll see what new fights the UFC comes up with to serve as the card's main and co-main events.

Dana White via. his Instagram story just now 😭

IG / @danawhite #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/jZVzuHMMh4

— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) June 14, 2024

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