Conor McGregor of Ireland will make his return to the UFC after nearly three years, facing off against Michael Chandler at UFC 303 in Las Vegas on June 29.
The former two-weight champion, McGregor, aged 35, has been absent from the octagon since July 2021 and has faced defeat in his last two fights. The UFC officially announced the welterweight bout with American Chandler following UFC 300 in Las Vegas last Saturday.
McGregor boasts a record of 22 wins and six defeats in his MMA career, while his opponent, 37-year-old Chandler, holds a record of 23 wins and eight losses.
In his most recent fight in July 2021, McGregor suffered a leg injury in a loss to Poirier. Prior to that, he was defeated by Poirier via second-round stoppage six months earlier. McGregor has secured only one victory since becoming the UFC’s first simultaneous two-weight champion in 2016, clinching titles in both lightweight and featherweight categories.
Chandler, who transitioned from Bellator to the UFC in 2021, has been involved in several captivating bouts, despite facing three losses out of his five UFC fights. He was defeated by then-champion Charles Oliveira in his second UFC appearance, followed by losses to Justin Gaethje and Poirier.
The match-up between McGregor and Chandler was confirmed early last year when they served as opposing coaches in the UFC’s Ultimate Fighter reality TV series, although no specific date was set at that time.