Conor McGregor was never in the running for UFC 300.
UFC CEO Dana White announced that the main event of UFC 300, scheduled for April 13th, got canceled after Ilya Topria secured the featherweight world title with a surprising second-round KO of Alexander Volkanovski in Anaheim. He has confirmed that the main event will feature a light heavyweight title fight between current champion Alex Pereira and former champion Jamahal Hill, who is making a comeback.
During a discussion about the challenges of organizing landmark cards in a UFC 298 post-fight presser, White disclosed that Conor McGregor was never going to headline the event, despite numerous rumors suggesting otherwise. As a result, a reporter asked why it took the UFC so long to book McGregor’s return.
White promptly placed the blame on McGregor.
“We would be excited if he came and fought, but the money complicates a lot of things,” White said. “He just shot a movie and he has to do press for that movie… He wants to fight this year, but he’s going to see what happens.”
White’s comments seem to contradict McGregor’s expressions of frustration over the delay in an interview with talk sports in December.
“The young guys in the UFC aren’t talking about anything, the young guys here (in Saudi) are talking a lot, the young guys in the UFC aren’t talking about anything…Give me something, it was supposed to be April, it was supposed to be December. “…No one in the history of fighting games has ever been treated the way I’ve been treated. I’m waiting…my patience is running thin,” McGregor said.
So who is responsible?
Unfortunately, we’ll probably never know the truth, but it appears McGregor’s previously guaranteed return in 2024 is no longer valid.
