Conor McGregor has said he would “love” to fight between August and September and vowed to be at his best after pulling out of his UFC 303 bout with Michael Chandler.
Two-time champion McGregor had been set to headline the card on June 30 but withdrew earlier this month, scuppering his scheduled comeback after more than two years out of the Octagon.
“I’m sad for the fans who wanted the entertainment of the press conference and the pay-per-view and the card and all,” McGregor told Severe MMA, after explaining he pulled out because of a broken toe. “But look, it was just one of those damned things.
“How could I justify making that walk again and then be stationary, flat on the feet, and saying to my fans afterward, ‘Oh, this happened but I made the walk for you guys’?
I will never enter a fight hurt again and I will never lose another fight.
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) June 22, 2024
“The fans have seen this. I can’t do it again. If you’re paying that much, you deserve to see the best of me. So that’s what they’re going to see.
“It’s on me now and my team of coaches and my team of training partners to really dial it in and make sure that happens – and I’m confident we will.”
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Conor McGregor toe injury ‘very painful’
McGregor, who suffered a broken leg in his second defeat to Dustin Poirier in his last fight in January 2021, called his latest injury “a nuisance”.
“We just adjust,” he added. “Everything is moving. Everything is moving parts, so I’m good. It’s painful. I’m not going to lie. It’s very, very painful – probably even more than the leg, and that’s the truth.
“I’ll tell you why: The leg was at least wrapped up. I couldn’t access it. The foot is just there still. It’s like it’s exposed or something. It’s a bit painful but it comes with the territory. I need to just dial it in, get my training camps correct.”
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) June 22, 2024
McGregor: UFC ‘stellar’
McGregor will be 36 in July and has lost three of his last four bouts but remains the promotion’s most marketable and high-profile competitor.
“The UFC has been stellar,” he said. “They’ve really gone above for me. I’m so grateful for that because I was in a dark place. Now I’m all right.
“I’m coming. I’m getting there again. I’m ready to go again – soon enough. I’m just very appreciative of them assisting me.”
