Conor McGregor breaks his silence after pulling out of UFC 303 return against Michael Chandler: 'I'll be back'

The Irishman was forced to withdraw from his June 29 showdown with ChandlerUFC President Dana White revealed this week McGregor has suffered an injuryREAD MORE: Fans fear McGregor will 'NEVER fight again' after failed return

Conor McGregor has spoken out after his long-awaited UFC return against Michael Chandler was postponed this week due to injury.

The Irishman was scheduled to finally take on Michael Chandler at UFC 303 in Las Vegas on June 29, only for his latest setback to put the fight on hold once again.

Just over two weeks before the event, Dana White announced Thursday that McGregor has been forced to pull out after suffering an injury which reportedly left him contemplating retirement.

'But ultimately,' a source told Dailymail.com, 'having to withdraw has lit a spectacular fire under his a** and he is more determined than ever to fight again this year and to reschedule his match with Chandler this fall.'

After withdrawing from the fight this week, McGregor has echoed that sentiment in a statement on social media.

Conor McGregor has spoken out after his UFC return was postponed following his latest injury

McGregor was forced to pull out of his fight against Michael Chandler on June 29 due to injury

READ MORE

EXCLUSIVE

Conor McGregor considered RETIREMENT after latest injury but is more determined than ever to return

'Very tough to be ruled out of my scheduled return bout,' he said in an Instagram post on Saturday.

'I picked up an injury prior to the press conference that required more time to heal than was available to me.

'The decision to postpone the fight was not made lightly, but one made in consultation with my doctors, the UFC, and my team. My fans and opponent deserve me at my best for this fight and we will get there!

'Thank you for the messages of support, I am in good spirits and confident I’ll be back!'

McGregor has been slated to fight Chandler for well over a year, with the pair initially going head to head as coaches on the 2023 instalment of The Ultimate Fighter.

White's plan was for the two men to conclude that season by fighting each other, only for McGregor's return to the Octagon to be delayed until 2024 when he failed to enter anti-doping agency USADA's testing pool in time.

The former two-weight UFC champion has not competed in close to three years, with his last outing against Dustin Poirier ending in gruesome fashion when he broke his leg in the first round.

The Irishman admits it was 'very tough' to cancel the bout while promising he will be back

He has been working his way back to full fitness and sharpness ever since, though his latest pullout has left fans concerned that he will never fight again.

After confirming his star attraction is out of this month's show in Vegas, the UFC chief provided no further information on the nature of McGregor's injury.

'Alright guys, here I am again... Conor McGregor is out of 303 vs Michael Chandler with an injury,' White said in a video message before going on to reveal the status of the new card.

Alex Pereira and Jiri Prochazka are now headlining the event, coming as a huge blow to McGregor's legions of fans who had planned a trip to Sin City in two weeks' time.

McGregor's proposed return after three years out was already in major doubt after he recently pulled out of a press conference at short notice.

The 35-year-old was also seen partying on a wild night out in Dublin a month out from the fight, raising concerns that he would not be ready in time to face Chandler.