Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler are slated to clash in the main event at UFC 303 on June 29th. The majority of the sportsbooks slightly favor a win for Chandler. But this is mainly based on McGregor’s inactivity in recent years. Can McGregor pull off the comeback win of all time? We tell you the answer in our latest UFC betting picks.
We did wonder if we would ever see it happen, and we still wonder if it will happen, but Conor McGregor is finally about to return to the Octagon for UFC 303.
The Irishman is a legend of the sport. He will take on another legendary figure, Michael Chandler at UFC 303 at the T-Mobile Arena on Saturday, June 29th. But even before the two men enter the Octagon, there is doubt surrounding the fight.
The UFC has already canceled a Dublin press conference that was due to take place on Monday, June 3rd, leading fans to question if the fight would be canceled. So far, no explanation has been given, and McGregor has apologized to his fans, hinting that the cancellation was nothing to do with him.
McGregor has also been doing well enough outside of the Octagon, leading many to question if he even needs this fight. But the Irishman is forever the showman, and after coming this far, it seems highly unlikely he will be backtracking out of the contest at this late stage.
As well as McGregor vs. Chandler, there are also some top-quality matchups slated to take place on the UFC 303 Main Card.
The co-main event could well be the headline act. It sees Jamahal Hill (-125) taking on Carlos Ulberg (+100) in a light heavyweight showdown. Hill will be looking to bounce back from a devastating loss to Alex Pereira at UFC 300 in April.
McGregor’s fellow Irishman, Ian Machado Garry (-138) is taking on Michael Page (+100), and Mayra Bueno Silva (-225) takes on Macy Chiasson (+175) in a women’s bantamweight showdown.
All the fights look close on paper and are set to add to a night of spectacular action in Nevada.
The latest UFC Vegas betting odds say this is set to be a close contest.
BetUS are slightly favoring Michael Chandler at -120, with Conor McGregor at -110. Elsewhere, some of the best UFC betting sites have both men at -110, with some going Chandler -115 and McGregor at -105.
One area that doesn’t seem to be up for dispute is how the fight will end. In the props markets, the fight is -325 to end by KO/TKO. It is +400 to go to points, and +600 to end with a submission.
More betting options from different bookmakers are available on our UFC odds table. All our odds are from the best sites for UFC betting.
| Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conor McGregor | -110 | -105 | -110 |
| Michael Chandler | -110 | -115 | -120 |
| Fight to end by KO/TKO | -325 | -325 | -325 |
| Fight to be decided on Points/Decsion | +400 | +400 | +400 |
| Fight to end by Submission | +600 | +600 | +600 |
Conor McGregor has a Mixed Martial Arts record of 22-6-0. The Irishman hasn’t been in the Octagon since breaking his leg in his trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier in July 2021, and he has only fought four times since November 2016.
In the four fights since 2016, McGregor has lost three. The first defeat was to Khabib Nurmagomedov by submission in October 2018. McGregor defeated Donald Cerrone by TKO in January 2020, his last win in the UFC.
Two losses to Poirier followed — the first in January 2021 and the second in July of the same year. In the two losses to Poirier, McGregor seemed to lack the explosive punching power that made him his name within the UFC.
Michael Chandler has an MMA record of 23-8-0. At 38 years of age, he is three years older than the 35-year-old McGregor.
Like McGregor, Chandler has also lost three of his most recent four fights. The losses were to high-quality opposition, Dustin Poirier, Justin Gaethje, and Charles Oliveira. The solitary win came over Tony Ferguson.
Chandler has been more active than McGregor. The four fights we have listed have all taken place in the last three years, although Chandler himself hasn’t been inside the Octagon in over 18 months. His last fight was the loss to Poirier in November 2022.
With both fighters in the twilight of their UFC careers and having been fairly inactive lately, there is no real form to go on, and there is almost an exhibition feel about this fight.
The McGregor of 2016 wins. But we’re never going to see that beast again, he is too old and has been out of action for too long. The question is, can the current McGregor beat the current Chandler?
Most bookmakers think it’s going to come down to a slugfest. The fight isn’t expected to last long, and it looks like a case of who lands that KO blow first. Dustin Poirier, no less, thinks Chandler is a tailor-made opponent for McGregor, and we’re inclined to agree.
We are backing McGregor to mark his UFC comeback fight with a KO win.
See below the best online betting sites in USA 2024, where you can wager online and choose the best one for you:
