Chael Sonnen believes Conor McGregor could retire if Michael Chandler fight falls through, suggests alternate UFC 303 headliner
The sudden cancellation of a UFC 303 press conference with Conor McGregor has ignited speculation about his upcoming fight against Michael Chandler. While the promotion remains tight-lipped on the reason, McGregor did apologize to fans on social media but offered no explanation.
While the fight is still over three weeks away, the silence has some questioning McGregor's commitment. Former UFC middleweight Chael Sonnen expressed surprise at the cancellation, considering McGregor's past success in press conferences.
However, Sonnen senses something deeper at play. Appearing in a recent episode of his podcast Good Guy/Bad Guy, the former UFC fighter said:
"When this [press conference in Dublin] did get canceled, what does it mean more long term if Conor McGregor does not fight Michael Chandler on June 29th, which I think he’s going to. If he doesn’t, I would go a step further as to tell you that will be the announcement of his retirement.”
Ariel Helwani sheds light on the uncertainty surrounding Conor McGregor's return at UFC 303
The highly anticipated return of Conor McGregor to the UFC octagon against Michael Chandler at UFC 303 is shrouded in doubt. Combat sports journalist Ariel Helwani has cast a shadow over the main event, tweeting that the UFC is exploring backup options.
Helwani wrote:
"No news at the moment. The hope is still that the fight is on. There is positivity, I'd say. But they have sent out feelers to see who might be able to fill in, either as a replacement or an entirely new fight at the top of the bill. Still developing, and still some time."
Check out Ariel Helwani's post below:
While McGregor has a history of reliability within the UFC, Helwani noted that training camp setbacks often go unreported. The fate of Chandler's involvement in UFC 303 remains unclear if McGregor withdraws.