Conor McGregor comeback breaks record with eye-watering sum – two months before fight

Conor McGregor’s comeback has already broken the UFC’s live-gate record, according to Dana White – two months before fight night.

McGregor will face Michael Chandler in the main event of UFC 303 on 29 June, marking the Irishman’s first fight in three years. In July 2021, McGregor suffered a broken leg in his second straight loss to Dustin Poirier.

Yet fears over McGregor’s abilities and fitness have seemingly done little to dampen hype for his comeback. According to UFC president White, McGregor vs Chandler has set a new live-gate record for the promotion, at “way over $20m”.

White revealed the news at a Fight Night press conference on Saturday (11 May).

Fans have criticised the steep ticket prices for UFC 303, which takes place at Las Vegas’s T-Mobile Arena, but many tickets have already been sold – seemingly including VIP packages, which have been priced at over $12,000 in some cases.

The UFC’s current live-gate record is $17.7m, set by McGregor’s knockout win against Eddie Alvarez in 2016. The pair headlined UFC 205, which took place at Madison Square Garden when the UFC staged an event in New York City for the first time.

In second place is McGregor’s defeat by Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2018. The Russian submitted McGregor at the T-Mobile Arena, with the live gate at just under $17.2m.

McGregor, 35, is seeking his first win since January 2020, as the former dual-weight champion prepares to take on Chandler.

Chandler, 38, last fought in November 2022, losing to fellow American Poirier by submission.