Conor McGregor is with his family recovering from injury and not in a drug- or alcohol-related rehab facility, his team told The Post.
“Mr McGregor is with his family — and any other reports are incorrect,” said Karen Kessler, McGregor’s public relations manager. “He is looking forward to a rescheduled date for his next fight.“
This update contradicts claims made 24 hours prior by ex-fighter Chael Sonnen, who said on his ESPN+ Show, “Good Guy/Bad Guy,” that McGregor was not injured, as had previously been reported for why his UFC 303 main event was canceled, but actually in drug and alcohol rehab.
“Conor McGregor is not injured,” Sonnen said . “One side [implying McGregor] is in rehab for substance abuse, including alcohol … the big guy came out and said it; he wasn’t supposed to talk about that.”
Sonnen has since backtracked these comments on his YouTube account, saying he “does not know whether McGregor is in rehab.”
Fans had been speculating and rumors lingered about McGregor’s status before his main event bout against Michael Chandler before UFC announced the fight had been postponed due to an injury sustained by McGregor, though neither the fighter nor the organization have specified the injury.
The Irish-born superstar was seen partying at a Dublin nightclub on May 26, just six days before a press conference with Chandler was scheduled to take place.
That press conference, originally scheduled for June 3, was canceled on just 12 hours notice, leading many to question whether there was foul play at hand.
His agent, Audie Attar, previously told The Post that McGregor was training multiple times a day in the lead-up to the bout and was “encouraged” by his training regiment.
Multiple reports stated McGregor was injured in the 24 hours before the Dublin press conference.
After the fight was canceled, The Post reported that the UFC was targeting makeup dates from August to October, with the main hiccup being availability of a venue suited for a McGregor fight.
The UFC had previously targeted a $20 million gate, the largest in the company’s history.
That all but ends the speculation that the fight can happen at The Sphere in Las Vegas, a venue booked by the UFC for Sept. 14 but unlikely to have the capacity to support a fight of this magnitude.
McGregor and the UFC appear to be actively seeking a new date for him to fight Chandler, as Alex Pereira will fight Jiri Prochazka for the light heavyweight title as the replacement.
