CONOR MCGREGOR was supposed to headline UFC 300, Joe Rogan has sensationally claimed.
MMA fans around the world expected the Irishman‘s long-awaited comeback fight against Michael Chandler to top the bill of the historic April 13 card once it was announced last December.
UFCUFC 300 takes place in Las Vegas on April 13[/caption]
INSTAGRAM@THENOTORIOUSMMAMMA fans expected Conor McGregor to headline the card but the UFC seemingly have other plans[/caption]
UFC commentator Joe Rogan claims The Notorious was set to top the bill of the iconic cardGETTY
The UFC brass, however, seemingly have other ideas for their poster boy – who recently claimed his comeback will take place in June.
But according to Rogan, the promotion would have had McGregor headline UFC 300 had he been “ready” to compete.
During a recent episode of his Joe Rogan Experience podcast, he said: “The big one – they were trying to get Conor.
“But he’s not going to be ready then.”
When the date for McGregor’s long-overdue clash with Chandler was put to Rogan, he added: “That’s a big one.”
McGregor publicly campaigned to top the UFC 300 bill – which was recently leaked online – last October as he emotionally reflected on his injury-enforced hiatus.
And veteran MMA reporter Ariel Helwani claimed the Irishman was “UPSET” at being snubbed for the iconic card after pushing hard to headline it.
He wrote on X: “[Conor] McGregor wanted to fight at 300. He pushed hard for it. He was ready, I’m told.
“But after meeting with the brass last week they settled on June 29.”
McGregor, 35, sensationally claimed his comeback clash with Chandler – his rival coach on season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter – will take place at middleweight.
And Rogan reckons it makes sense for The Notorious not to cut weight given his insane body transformation in the last two years.
The long-time UFC commentator said: “That 85 is crazy, that’s crazy. That 85 is crazy, that’s crazy.
“That’s also, if you don’t want to cut weight, that is the kind of way to do it.
“Because he probably does walk around at 85 or 90lbs. It’s probably nothing.”
Rogan’s comments on McGregor initially being in line to headline UFC 300 came just days before the Dubliner teased a shock appearance on the card.
After sharing a video of himself sparring, he wrote: “McGregor on 300 seals the deal.”
Former two-division champion McGregor hasn’t set foot inside the octagon since shattering his left leg in his trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier two-and-a-half years ago.
But he’s fighting fit and ready to go after going through a painstaking and arduous rebab and insane body transformation.
REUTERSConor McGregor hasn’t set foot inside the octagon since breaking his left leg in July 2021[/caption]