Conor McGregor's UFC 303 comeback hangs in balance with 'replacements contacted'

The much-anticipated comeback of Conor McGregor to the UFC octagon is now hanging by a thread. The ex-champion was all set for his grand return at UFC 303 this month, squaring off against Michael Chandler for his first fight in three years.

However, MMA insider Ariel Helwali has dropped a bombshell that the UFC is contacting replacement fighters following a scrapped press event.

McGregor took to X to address the abrupt axing of the UFC 303 press conference initially scheduled for Monday afternoon in Dublin. "In consultation with the UFC, todays press conference was cancelled due to a series of obstacles outside of our control," McGregor wrote. "I apologise to my Irish fans, and fans around the world, for the inconvenience and appreciate all your passion and support. I can’t wait to put on the greatest all-time show in the Octagon."

Amid this unsettling quiet, Dana White, the usually vocal UFC President, has remained tight-lipped, not shedding any light on the bout despite over a day's worth of rampant rumours. Meanwhile, Chandler has been flooding his Instagram with inspirational sayings.

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Doubts are swirling within the UFC community about the fight's fate, with ex-MMA fighter Daniel Cormier casting aspersions on his ESPN programme, 'Good Guy/Bad Guy'. "Start to brace yourself a little bit for disappointment. I don’t mean to be the bearer of bad news," Cormier said.

"Dana White will argue and scream at the media. Dana White will give the media a hard time. Dana White has no problem letting the media down. You know who Dana White doesn’t like letting down? The fans.

"To me, it feels like this is a big deal. I have reached out to many in the organization to try to find out what happened, and when everyone is as tight-lipped as they are right now, to me that tells me it’s a little worrisome."

McGregor last stepped into the ring on July 10, 2021 against Dustin Poirier, a rematch that lasted just one round as McGregor suffered a ghastly leg break upon taking a misstep, breaking both his fibula and tibia. After nearly three full years, the 35-year-old Irishman is finally fit for his UFC return in Las Vegas, quelling injury concerns by insisting that his extensive surgery made him even stronger.

"I am Terminator now I have a titanium rod that goes into the knee and down to the bone, right down to my ankle, McGregor told James Corden in a recent interview. "It's unbreakable. I wish for and I will work on landing this kick - with this steel bar in my leg - against an opponent and getting them out of there."

As the main event approaches, McGregor's commitment and training regime have been scrutinised after he was spotted partying in a Dublin pub despite his self-imposed alcohol ban. The fighter, worth $200 million, hit back with images of an intense training session covered in blood. His recent tweet on Monday indicates that he still plans to participate in the upcoming match.