The UFC world is anxiously awaiting the return of Conor McGregor. Ever since his devastating injury at UFC 264, McGregor’s return has been uncertain. However, the ultimate fighter and a proposed bout with Chandler has fans excited for his return. With that being said, the timing now will be a huge part for the UFC to figure out. While many believe that McGregor might return for UFC 300, head coach John Kavanagh has stated otherwise.
UFC 300 will be a huge milestone for the promotion. The event is set to take place in April and the promotion will want to stack the card. UFC 200 was a huge success for the company and featured names such as Brock Lesnar, Anderson Silva, Daniel Cormier and more. Therefore, fans will expect a card of the same calibre from the UFC for the next milestone event.
Many fans believe Conor McGregor is the perfect fit to headline UFC 300. However, veteran Chael Sonnen does not feel the same way. In a recent video posted on his YouTube channel, he explained why that is the case. He said,
“You’re going to have Conor McGregor vs Michael Chandler on top of the bill at 300. Because, that fight does not have a significance within the division. This is not an elimination fight. The winner of this fight does not then go in for a title shot for example…..You’re not going to see Conor vs Chandler which is a non title match, as a matter of fact it is a non contender’s match. As a matter of fact it is not the most sought after fight for either guy. It is a match that was promised and we gotta get it out of the way. And that kind of a match is not going to find itself at UFC 300.”
Sonnen explained how the potential match is not for any title or the number contender’s spot. He also mentioned that the match would happen only because it was promised. Due to the these reasons, Sonnen claimed that McGregor vs Chandler will not headline UFC 300.
With that being said, let’s take a close look at UFC 300 and the Irishman.
Chael Sonnen right on his assessment for UFC 300 and Conor McGregor?
Conor McGregor re-entered the USADA testing pool in October 2023. Upon re-entering the USADA testing pool an athlete has to undergo six months of clean tests in order to compete again. This means that Conor McGregor will be eligible to compete in April onwards. However, the deal between the UFC and USADA ends on January 1st 2024. This means that ‘The Notorious’ can definitely fight at UFC 300.
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Having Conor McGregor as the main event makes all the sense in the world for the UFC. He is the biggest star in the company without a close second. To add to that, there have been many instances where UFC has chosen a non title fight to headline a PPV card. For an event as big as UFC 300, if Conor McGregor is available it would be a shame not to have him in the main event.
