Conor McGregor has finally spoken.
The former two-division champion issued a brief statement to fans on social media for the first time since his scheduled UFC 303 bout against Michael Chandler on June 29 in Las Vegas was called off.
McGregor says he needs "more time to heal" from an injury he suffered before the bout but vows to return to the cage.
“Very tough to be ruled out of my scheduled return bout,” McGregor wrote. “I picked up an injury prior to the press conference that required more time to heal than was available to me. The decision to postpone the fight was not made lightly, but one made in consultation with my doctors, the UFC, and my team.
"My fans and opponent deserve me at my best for this fight and we will get there! Thank you for the messages of support, I am in good spirits and confident I’ll be back!"
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The 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.