Conor McGregor could make UFC return in TWO MONTHS as severity of UFC 303 injury that axed Chandler fight is revealed
CONOR MCGREGOR could make his UFC return in less than two months’ time.
The Notorious was set to make his cage comeback at the end of the month in the main event of UFC 303 in Las Vegas.
GettyConor McGregor was due to make his UFC return against Michael Chandler later this month[/caption]
GettyBut an injury for the Irishman has postponed the bout[/caption]
APThe severity of the Irishman’s injury has been revealed[/caption]
But he was forced to withdraw from his long-awaited showdown with fellow fan favourite Michael Chandler due to injury.
News of the injury sparked fears the Irishman would be set for another lengthy stint on the sidelines.
But according to veteran MMA reporter Ariel Helwani, those concerns are misplaced.
He said on his YouTube channel: “The Conor injury is not severe, not severe.
“I think he can be back in two months. I’m not going to say what it is because I’ve been asked not to say.
“And you have to respect that.
“It’s s****y, man. I think we were all looking forward to a Conor McGregor fight – it’s been too long.”
According to Helwani, the UFC are hoping for their poster boy to fight in late August or mid-September.
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He wrote on X: “No new date yet for McGregor x Chandler.
“They are hoping for August or September.”
August 31 is the only date free in the promotion’s calendar to marry up with a McGregor return before the close of summer.
The MMA leader already has a pay-per-view event – UFC 306 – scheduled to take place in Las Vegas on September 14.
The card – which is set to take place at The Sphere – currently doesn’t have a headline act.
So it would make perfect sense for McGregor to top the bill at the brand-spanking new arena, which he’s already set his sights on headlining.
He told The MacLife: “I’ll do three this year: June, September, December.
“We’ve got Chandler in June, obviously. September, Sphere, is Mexican Independence Day.
“Potentially someone with Mexican heritage, maybe a [Nate] Diaz.
“I think Diaz would be perfect. I don’t know the ins and outs.
“I kind of thought that would be a lovely one.”
McGregor, 35, hasn’t set foot inside the octagon since snapping his left leg in his trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier nearly three years ago.