The UFC have made the unprecedented move to cancel the UFC 303 press conference lower than 12 hours out from it getting underway.
The event, set to happen in Dublin, Ireland, was called off with no reschedule date announced in a post that sent social media ablaze.
While entry to the press conference didn’t require payment, it was a ticketed event with all allocated tickets snapped up inside minutes of their public release.
Fans were able to flock through the gates to catch a glimpse of Conor McGregor ahead of his return bout against Michael Chandler.
“Dear UFC Fans, The #UFC303 press conference scheduled for Monday June third in Dublin, Ireland at 3Arena has been postponed until further notice,” the UFC posted on X. “We sincerely apologize to all of the fans who were planning to attend. When now we have further information on a latest date and time, we are going to share it immediately. – Thanks.”
UFC 303 is about to happen on June 29 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
UFC president Dana White had not mentioned any issues on Saturday when talking to the press in Newark following UFC 302 and he was expected to be in attendance for Monday’s event.
Speculation behind the cancelation quickly whipped around social media with many pointing the finger at McGregor.
The previous two-division UFC champ was seen partying it up just weeks ahead of his return to the Octagon.
The Irishman shared footage of himself dancing the night away at an event on Instagram, where he has 45 million followers.
In a single clip, the UFC icon may very well be seen dancing in front of his glamorous Forged Irish Stout staff – who also looked like they were having fun with the event.
One other featured him dancing and making out with fiancée Dee Devlin.
With the cancelation coming days after the social media footage, fans were quick to pin the UFC’s move on the MMA icon.
Author Nick Lombardi wrote: “This statement is unlike anything I’ve ever seen from the UFC before. I speculate a big change is going on to the cardboard, specifically the McGregor v Chandler fight. It’s the one fight that may warrant this sort of response.”
One user wrote: “Christ what did Conor McGregor do now️, just hours before? Lotta Irish fans gonna get up pretty offended that thought they were going to this.”
A second added: “Conor back at it again.”
If it goes ahead as planned, McGregor’s showdown with Chandler shall be his first outing since breaking his left leg in his trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier nearly three years ago.
But he insisted he’d haven’t any reservations about throwing his once-shattered shin on the brow of his rival Ultimate Fighter 31 coach.
“I’m Terminator now. I actually have a titanium rod that goes into the knee and right down to the bone, right right down to my ankle. It’s unbreakable,” McGregor said in a recent interview with James Corden.
“I wish for and I’ll work on landing this kick – with this steel bar in my leg – against an opponent and getting them out of there.”
While he’s been talking an enormous talk, UFC fans will now eagerly await a reason behind the cancelation just weeks out from the major event.
