Conor McGregor ‘not motivated’ for return as Cormier fears worst for fight

There’s a storm brewing in the MMA world with fears swirling around Conor McGregor’s scheduled fight against Michael Chandler in Las Vegas this month.

The Dubliner is preparing to return to the Octagon for his first match in nearly three years on June 29 but tensions are high as doubt clouds the bout’s fate. A press conference planned for the event – set to be attended by both fighters and UFC President Dana White – was abruptly called off on Monday, sparking uncertainty.

Fans were eagerly set for a confrontation between McGregor and Chandler at the 3Arena in Dublin. With no specified reasons, the UFC released an elusive statement postponing the press conference.

Read more: Conor McGregor 3Arena press conference for Michael Chandler fight postponed

Read more: Conor McGregor 3Arena press conference for Michael Chandler fight postponed

They stated: “The #UFC303 press conference scheduled for Monday June 3rd in Dublin, Ireland at 3Arena has been postponed until further notice. We sincerely apologize to all the fans who were planning to attend. When we have further information on a new date and time, we will share it immediately.”

However, McGregor wasted no time brushing off any concerns over the rescheduled match, assuring his followers on social media that the battle is still on. He posted: “In consultation with the UFC, todays press conference was cancelled due to a series of obstacles outside of our control. I apologize to my Irish fans, and fans around the world, for the inconvenience and appreciate all your passion and support. I can’t wait to put on the greatest all-time show in the Octagon.”

Regardless of McGregor’s claims, ex-UFC warrior Daniel Cormier isn’t convinced, reports the Irish Mirror. His fear is that it won’t just be the press conference McGregor bows out of if the fight doesn’t materialise this month.

Cormier opened up to Chael Sonnen on their Good Guy/Bad Guy podcast, saying: “Let me be your friend and tell you, start to brace yourself a little bit for disappointment. I don’t mean to be the bearer of bad news, but let me tell you something about the UFC.

“Now, Dana White will argue and scream at the media. Dana White will give the media a hard time. Dana White has no problem letting the media down. You know who Dana White doesn’t like letting down? The fans. Doesn’t like letting the fans down.”

He went on to highlight the fans’ dedication: “And when the press conference was cancelled, you saw people on Twitter, people on Instagram, speaking of having their travel, being prepared to go and watch, flying over to Dublin to watch a presser. That’s disappointment.”

Cormier then discussed White’s commitment to the audience: “Dana White also doesn’t like letting them down and he tries to over-deliver for fans. So, to me, it feels like this is a big deal. Look, I have reached out to many in the organization to try and find out what happened, and when everybody is tight-lipped as they are right now, to me that tells me it’s a little worrisome.”

Wrapping up his thoughts, Cormier added a crucial point about McGregor’s position: “You know who doesn’t need the Conor McGregor fight? Conor McGregor. He’s the only one in this whole equation who does not need it. And when you do not need it, at times, the motivations will shift.”

“Again, I’m just giving you thoughts from a fighter’s perspective, audience. I just don’t know what it is that’s playing into this because I know that when I fought, those fights prior to becoming ‘the man,’ I would do anything to get there. But when I was the man and I didn’t really need it as much, I got the door, the one time I got it, and I took it, and I waited another five months. I’m happier to fight this fight in April than in November and so I took that as an option.”

“Conor’s not the champ, but when we talk about Conor McGregor, he operates on an entire different planet than everyone else. From the money to the fame to the expectation. The belt, to Conor McGregor, doesn’t matter. Wins and losses, when it comes to Conor McGregor, doesn’t matter. So we’re talking about a level of not needing something much greater than anything we’ve ever seen before.”

For all the latest news from Dublin and s urrounding areas visit our homepage.

Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.

Sign up to the Dublin Live Newsletter to get all the latest Dublin news straight to your inbox.