UFC 303: McGregor Faces a Date with Destiny in Las Vegas
Conor McGregor returns to the action against Michael Chandler at UFC 303 in a highly-anticipated welterweight fight at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada. on June 29.
The Irish mixed martial arts (MMA) star returns after a three-year hiatus. His last fight came in the loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in 2021.
McGregor’s rise in the UFC was nothing short of spectacular. He established himself as the face of the business in 2015 after claiming the featherweight title with a stunning win over Jose Aldo.
He had a rough patch at the beginning of his UFC career, boasting a 4-2 record. However, McGregor subsequently went on a 13-fight winning run, including victories over Max Holloway and Poirier.
His impressive streak culminated in a title shot against Aldo. The fight epitomised everything that made McGregor the most exciting draw in the fight business.
McGregor predicted Aldo’s intentions to the letter before the fight. As projected, Aldo loaded up and tried to remove his opponent’s head in the early exchanges.
But the Dublin native adjusted and delivered the practised counterpunch, dropping his opponent to the canvas before going on to claim several fight awards.
McGregor’s Recent Wobble
McGregor’s MMA career stands at a crossroads. He has won only one of his last four fights and has suffering successive defeats against Poirier.
Khabib Nurmagomedov made light work of him at UFC 229 when he tried to recapture his lightweight belt, which he won against Eddie Alvarez but vacated after over 500 days of inaction.
McGregor’s excellent in-ring IQ was not on display as he got overly excited in his last fight against Poirier. He took the American down with a guillotine and tired himself out on the ground.
Poirier took top guard, dishing out a precise ground and pound, opening up McGregor’s face. The fight finished when the Irishman snapped his leg into the canvas as he tried to land a punch.
Chandler is a Formidable Opponent for McGregor
Chandler is a skilled and experienced warrior who has been active much more recently than McGregor, and he poses all sorts of questions.
The 38-year-old has also been away for some time, but he took the period to reconnect with family and recharge his batteries.
Chandler is springy and explosive, making up for his lack of height with quick movement into range. With most fighters attempting to use their length to keep him at bay, he knows how to enter and leave the pockets using his athleticism.
However, the 2021 Debutant of the Year is one of the smallest men in the welterweight division, which could play into McGregor’s counter-striking style.
Fight fans have seen McGregor invite opponents into that sweet pocket before sniping them with sleeping counter-strikes. If Chandler does not calculate his steps, he could face a same fate.
It is worth noting that Chandler holds the advantage on the ground. He is a skilled wrestler and can dominate McGregor on the canvas. He is also quite patient before shooting, stalking his prey before using his explosiveness to get double-leg takedowns.
The chosen weight class may also hand Chandler the advantage. He has never had difficulty making the weight, but there are real questions for McGregor, who has gained significant bulk.
The 35-year-old may find it difficult to cut weight for the fight, which could pose a problem for him against a more regulated Chandler.
McGregor Needs a Statement Victory Over Chandler
According to UFC president Dana White, McGregor’s comeback has broken the live-gate record, garnering over $20 million.
His return has also sparked significant interest in the online betting industry, particularly among punters located on the Emerald Isle.
Irish fight fans have been wagering heavily on McGregor to win on betting apps in Ireland and he will likely be the favourite to claim victory when the fight starts.
However, the Irishman’s road to reclaiming his former status as the undisputed king of the UFC is paved with challenges and the odds are firmly stacked against him.
His recent struggles cannot be overlooked. His past two fights have ended in defeats – a stark contrast to the dominant run that propelled him to superstardom.
This decline, alongside the extended lay-off from competition, raises concerns about his current fighting form. The three-year hiatus has not helped his conditioning either.
McGregor’s natural talent is undeniable, but regaining the peak physical fitness required for elite-level competition is a major question mark. However, if he does win the fight, expect him to be fast-tracked towards a championship match, possibly against Leon Edwards if he can retain the welterweight crown against Belal Muhamm
