MAC ALTERNATIVE
Conor McGregor UFC 303 replacement touted amid growing fears fight with Michael Chandler could be off
Rumours are rife about McGregor's fitness just days before his huge UFC return
A SHOCK replacement has been touted for Conor McGregor should he be unable to fight Michael Chandler.
The former two-weight world champion is set to make his long-awaited octagon return against the fan favourite on June 29 in the main event of UFC 303 in Las Vegas.
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But his recent party antics and the short-notice cancellation of a Dublin press conference this week have fans fearing the Return of the Mac may be delayed.
One of the conspiracy theories - all of which have absolutely no base - floating around is that McGregor may potentially be dealing with an injury.
And if The Notorious is indeed injured, former three-time UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen believes Chandler should face BMF titleholder Max Holloway.
During the latest episode of Good Guy / Bad Guy, he said: "There will be no postponement of this fight.
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"They either fight on the 29th or we move on. Oh, and by the way, the show is still gonna happen.
"I believe Conor is gonna be opposite Michael Chandler, I’m very confident in telling you that.
"However, if he’s not, Michael Chandler vs. Max Holloway for the BMF is the fight to book.”
Former long-reigning featherweight champion Holloway, 32, claimed the BMF title in April with a stunning last-second KO of Justin Gaethje.
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McGregor, 35, has yet to pull out of a fight due to injury and has previously fought while compromised.
The Irishman tore his ACL prior to his interim featherweight title fight with Chad Mendes at UFC 189 in July 2015.
Watch Conor McGregor land brutal shot on sparring partner leaving Ebanie Bridges in awe
He also discolated a toe in his left foot in the build-up to his UFC 229 grudge match with Khabib Nurmagomedov in October 2018.
And given McGregor's history of fighting through the pain, Sonnen believes there is no way he'll pull out of his cage comeback with a slight injury.
He said: “A man will live his life by a code, and that code might not be in line with standard societal policies or even laws, but he will adhere to that code at all costs.
"One of Conor’s codes is the show must go on!
"When he was broken in half his last fight, and Joe said, ‘I don’t interview injured guys, we got to get you on a stretcher,’
"Conor called him over and pulled him down to the mat. Joe sat down to do that interview, why?
"Because we’ve yet to fade to black and roll the credits, and the show must go on.
"I happened to be with Conor McGregor when Jose Aldo pulled out and Chad Mendes got stuck in.
"We’re on the campus of ESPN doing some media.
"I was there when Conor took the call and couldn’t have possibly cared any less of the opponent change because the show must go on!
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"I just don’t believe that a month in advance — whether it’s illness or injury or any other excuse — that Conor is gonna be the one to pull.
"It would change the code that he must, as a human being, fiercely adhere to."
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