The long-anticipated UFC return of Conor McGregor is finally happening as the MMA superstar's bout with Michael Chandler was officially announced as the main event for UFC 303 in Las Vegas.
RETURN OF THE MAC 🍀
— Covers (@Covers) April 14, 2024
Conor McGregor will return to the octagon to fight Michael Chandler at 170 pounds on June 29th at UFC 303 🔥 pic.twitter.com/baCMQGpuDT
UFC odds for a McGregor vs. Chandler matchup were released early last year after they were set to coach against each other on "The Ultimate Fighter", but a bout never materialized in 2023. With the June 29 date finalized, fight fans will be eager to bet on or against McGregor, who remains one of the biggest draws in MMA despite nearly a three-year absence.
McGregor vs Chandler odds
| Fighter |  |
 |
 |
| Conor McGregor | -108 | -113 | -110 |
| Michael Chandler | -112 | -113 | -110 |
| Over 1.5 Rounds | -135 | OTB | OTB |
| Under 1.5 Rounds | +105 | OTB | OTB |
Odds as of May 11, 2024.
Odds for this fight opened as a pick'em. This isn't surprising when you consider that both fighters have lost three of their last four bouts, plus the fact that McGregor hasn't entered the octagon since he broke his leg in July 2021. Early money came in on McGregor, shifting him as high as -128, but buyback on Chandler has moved the line back to virtually a pick'em.
The O/U on rounds opened at 1.5 with the Over juiced at -135. The aggressive Chandler has a reputation as a glass cannon and six of his last eight fights have ended inside the first six minutes. McGregor is known for first-round knockouts of Jose Aldo, Dustin Poirier, and Donald Cerrone, but five of his last seven bouts have gone past the midway point of Round 2.
Best UFC bonuses
New UsersBet $5 on any market
get $150 in bonus bets! Claim Now
See FanDuel T&Cs
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Hope is here. GamblingHelpLineMA.org or call (800) 327-5050 for 24/7 support (MA). Call 1-877-8HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY).
21+ and present in select states. FanDuel is offering online sports wagering in Kansas under an agreement with Kansas Star Casino, LLC. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, KY, MI, NJ, OH, PA, IL, TN, VA, VT), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), visit www.mdgamblinghelp.org (MD), 1-800-522-4700 (WY), or visit www.1800gambler.net (WV).
New Users
No-sweat first bet
up to $1,500! Claim Now
Eligible USA locations only. Also, see our full list of best sportsbook promotions for 2023.
21+. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
McGregor vs Chandler tale of the tape
| Conor McGregor | Michael Chandler | |
|---|---|---|
| 35 | Age | 37 |
| 5-foot-9 | Height | 5-foot-8 |
| 155 lbs | Weight | 155 lbs |
| 74 inches | Reach | 71 inches |
| 22-6-0 | Record | 23-8-0 |
McGregor was, at one time, a two-division champ and the most entertaining MMA fighter on the planet. However, interests outside the octagon and recent injuries have sidelined his career.
Notorious has just one win over the last six years, when he knocked out a washed-up Donald Cerrone in 2020. Since then, he's dropped back-to-back fights against Dustin Poirier, getting finished by punches in January 2021 before breaking his tibia in the grudge match against Poirier later that year.
While many fans became convinced that McGregor would never fight again, he took to social media on New Year's Eve to say he would fight Chandler on June 29 — a date that's been finalized. He also claimed that the fight would take place at 185 pounds — though the fight has been officially announced at 170 pounds.
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) December 31, 2023
While Chandler has fought at lightweight for much of his career moving up to welterweight won't bother him since he walks around in the 185-190 pound range. Chandler was a three-time lightweight champ at Bellator, and while he's 2-3 in the UFC, he always puts on a show.
He starched Dan Hooker in the first round in his promotional debut and while he was finished by Charles Oliveira when they fought for the vacant belt in 2021, he managed to wobble "Do Bronx" in the opening round.
He followed up on that with a back-and-forth battle against Justin Gaethje and then sent Tony Ferguson to the Shadow Realm with one of the nastiest front kicks in history. He lost by submission to Poirier in his most recent bout in November of 2022, but it was a highly competitive match that earned him a Fight of the Night bonus.
Chandler has said he expects to send McGregor into retirement after this fight and he wants revenge for making him wait.
