Michael Chandler just finished his last training sesh in preparation for this hugely anticipated UFC 303 main event vs. Conor McGregor ... when Iron Mike says the dreaded phone call came in -- fight's off.
38-year-old Chandler, who has largely been quiet since Dana White announced the news late last week, is opening up about the cancelation.
Very tough to be ruled out of my scheduled return bout. 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,… pic.twitter.com/ACNnbvr27p
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) June 15, 2024
"Thinking about what has transpired over the last couple of days. Obviously, you guys saw it all. Got the rug pulled out from underneath me at the last possible moment," Chandler told fans while on a nature hike.
"I just got done with my last sparring session Thursday (June 13) morning. I had been hearing rumblings since Monday (June 10), obviously, but really got the call about an hour after my last sparring session was completed. An hour after a celebration."
UFC 303 International Fight Week June 29th pic.twitter.com/P47PSsKcg0
— danawhite (@danawhite) June 14, 2024
The call ... Conor was injured, and couldn't fight. It was an absolute punch to the gut for Michael, who says he was more prepared than he'd ever been heading into a fight.
"The happiest and healthiest and hardest to kill, most dangerous man I have ever been in my entire life in that moment to 30 minutes later getting a phone call that all of that was for naught. Or was it?"
What happens from here? Chandler isn't sure.
"A little bit of uncertainty in my life. When's this fight going to happen?" Michael pondered to himself.
"What date would it be rebooked for? What venue? How bad is the injury? Reports have come out that it's not that bad, just needs a little bit of a delay, but it's still no guarantees. But I thrive in the no guarantees."
In the meantime, light heavyweight champ Alex Pereira and (former LHW champ) Jiri Prochazka stepped up on short notice to fill the vacant main event slot, saving the big card.
Wrapping the nearly 4 1/2 minute talk, Chandler had a message for his supporters ... don't feel sorry for me."
"Don't you dare disrespect me by feeling sorry for me. Don't you dare disrespect me by having any kind of sympathy. Be emboldened by my situation. Be emboldened by my steadfastness and my immovability of hitching my dreams to a shooting star and continuing to move forward."