Conor McGregor is back — and so is Michael Chandler.
The biggest star in the history of MMA finally makes his return to the sport when he faces Chandler in a five-round, 170-pound main event battle at UFC 303, which takes place during International Fight Week on June 29 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
And though the event is still almost two months away, the UFC is already giving it the promotional push you’d expect, releasing the event’s official fight poster on Wednesday, showing both fighters staring straight ahead and screaming.
June 29th. Conor vs Chandler. 5 rounds. 170lbs.#UFC303 | #UFCFightWeek pic.twitter.com/WtBzfp88XR
— UFC (@ufc) May 8, 2024
The poster drop comes not even a week after UFC revealed the UFC 302 fight poster, which speaks to the enormity of McGregor’s return as far as fan interest goes.
UFC 303 will be McGregor’s first fight nearly three years. “Notorious” last competed at UFC 264, where he shattered his leg during his trilogy bout with Dustin Poirier.
Meanwhile, Chandler most recently fought two years ago, also losing to Dustin Poirier, though he did not suffer a catastrophic injury like McGregor. Instead, Chandler has been sitting on the sidelines waiting to settle up with McGregor after the two served opposite one another as coaches on The Ultimate Fighter 31.
UFC 303’s fight card is not finished yet, but a number of matchups for the event have already been announced, including a light heavyweight bout between former champion Jamahal Hill and Khalil Rountree Jr., a women’s bantamweight fight between Mayra Bueno Silva and Macy Chiasson, a middleweight matchup Joe Pyfer and Marc-Andre Barriault, and a featherweight bout between Cub Swanson and Andre Fili.