Conor McGregor to make long-awaited UFC return

A date has been set for Conor McGregor's long-awaited return to UFC.

After nearly three years out, McGregor will step back into the octagon at UFC 303 on 29 June.

Dana White confirmed that the former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion will fight Michael Chandler.

The UFC confirmed the welterweight bout following UFC 300 in Las Vegas on Saturday and it will be contested over five rounds, taking place at the end of International Fight Week, according to Sky Sports News.

McGregor, 35, who has 22 wins and six defeats, has not competed in the UFC since July 2021 when he sustained a leg break against Dustin Poirier.

He had previously fought and lost to Poirier six months earlier.

McGregor's opponent Chandler has 23 wins and eight defeats.

Speaking about the fight, White said on Saturday that McGregor's return had been "all about timing".

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He said: "There's all kinds of things that go on behind the scenes and it's all about timing. Chandler's been ready but Conor hasn't been ready.

"We talked about this in one of the press conferences recently, he had a lot of obligations that he had to deal with.

"What you don't want him doing is accepting a fight when he's got a tonne of obligations and he can't train 100% for a fight, so here we are tonight."

McGregor recently starred in the remake of 1989 film Road House.