It currently seems rather unlikely that Conor McGregor will be competing at UFC 300. Amid recent speculation, this notion has been considered an outside chance at most. This comes after expectations were high for his return, with many hoping for a triumphant comeback on the big stage.
Moving on, during an interview on “The MMA Hour,” John Kavanagh, head trainer at SBG Ireland, announced that McGregor’s long-awaited return to the Octagon has been delayed once again. “We were hoping for April. That was the hope. That was what we were told. And now it seems to be the summertime,” Kavanagh disclosed. He further commented on the unpredictable state of affairs saying, “I don’t know [why]. That’s literally what we were having a bit of a back and forward [about] today.”
April was the anticipated month for UFC 300, an event projected as one of the promotion’s biggest to date. Interestingly, McGregor had re-entered the drug testing pool in October, which would have perfectly aligned with an April comeback. He was also eyeing this timeframe for his first fight since his leg injury in July 2021, making him, even more, eager to return. Notably, McGregor had coached on “The Ultimate Fighter 31” opposite Michael Chandler, with a clash between them initially set to occur in 2023. However, McGregor’s entry into the drug testing pool seemed to have delayed that booking. Addressing this issue, Kavanagh confessed that McGregor and the team feel “very frustrated” that he won’t be competing in April.
Moving forward, Kavanagh anticipates that McGregor will now be participating in the UFC’s International Fight Week event in July. Stating the significance of keeping McGregor in good condition mentally, Kavanagh expressed confidence that the team will assist in this regard. As it stands, the plan to face Chandler at 170 pounds after McGregor’s return remains unchanged. Despite concerns about his mental health, Kavanagh affirmed that McGregor seemed to be positively engaged with his training partners, emphasizing that continuing with his training during this period was crucial. Kavanagh ended with a note of optimism, stating, “It’s a knockback if we’re hearing it was April but now it’s July, but it’s not the end of the world. It is an extra couple of months. It’s not great. But hey, you’re enjoying your training at the moment. Let’s just keep that going”.