Joe Rogan is coming to the defense of UFC star Conor McGregor.
After McGregor withdrew from his bout with Michael Chandler in the UFC 303 main event, he received plenty of criticism from the fans and fellow fighters.
McGregor withdrew because of a broken toe and shared the proof on social media.
During an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience podcast over the weekend, Rogan said that McGregor's decision to withdraw from the bout was justified and reasonable.
LOOK: Conor McGregor shows off injury that forced UFC 303 withdrawal
"Look, here’s the thing about a broken pinky toe," Rogan said on the UFC Saudi Arabia Fight Companion, via MMA Mania. “When you’re a guy who kicks as much as Conor, it’s a f*cking problem and it’s also the same foot where his leg was snapped, and he went into that fight injured.
"He’s never pulled out of a fight before, this is the first one he’s pulled out of, and I think it’s wise. I think if you do have a broken toe, and you are going into a fight, and you did go into the last fight injured, what if that f*cking toe becomes a real issue? What if he throws a kick and it smashes again and he’s in agony and he can’t move?
"You gotta be able to get the f*ck out of the way with Michael Chandler."
McGregor is at a point in his career where he desperately wants to get back into the win column, so making sure he is 100 percent before making a return makes perfect sense, especially against a fighter as dangerous as Chandler.
MORE: Dana White unsure of Conor McGregor's UFC future after UFC 303 withdrawal
The UFC 303 pay-per-view bout was set to be McGregor's first octagon appearance since July 10, 2021. The bout ended with McGregor suffering a gruesome leg fracture after a kick from Dustin Poirier.
Chandler, meanwhile, has not fought since November 2022, when he suffered a submission loss to Poirier.
With McGregor vs. Chandler no longer on the card, light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira will defend his title against Jiri Prochazka on short notice in the new main event.
Pereira and Prochazka previously fought at UFC 295 on November 11, 2023, with Pereira earning a second-round TKO win to claim the vacant light heavyweight title.
UFC 303 takes place on Saturday, June 29, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event is part of the promotion's International Fight Week.