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Late Sunday night (June 2, 2024), Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) announced on their social media that the special UFC 303 Dublin press conference featuring Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler has been postponed until further announcement.

The press conference was scheduled to take place 12 hours after the cancelation

“The UFC 303 press conference scheduled for Monday June 3rd in Dublin, Ireland at 3Arena has been postponed until further notice,” UFC wrote in a statement. “We sincerely apologize to all the fans who were planning to attend. When we have further information on a new date and time, we will share it immediately. – Thank you.”

Monday’s press conference was open and free for the fans and was sold out within five minutes.

During the UFC 302 post-fight press conference last night (Sat., June 1, 2024), UFC CEO Dana White said he was leaving for Dublin after he was done.

McGregor and Chandler have not released a statement yet, but MMAMania.com will have you covered when the two UFC 303 headliners say something.

Maybe McGregor was too hungover to attend.

For the latest UFC 303 fight card and PPV lineup click here.

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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

Six years have passed since Paulo Costa’s most recent UFC knockout. He’s determined to change that after another frustrating night at UFC 302.

Costa dropped his fourth bout over his past five UFC appearances on Saturday when he suffered a listless decision defeat to Sean Strickland in UFC 302’s five-round co-main event. It was yet another setback for the one-time title challenger. Since kicking off his MMA career as a ferocious knockout artist, punctuated by four consecutive knockouts to start his UFC run from 2017-18, Costa has shifted to a more patient and conservative style, fighting to decisions in five of his past six bouts, with the lone exception being his second-round knockout loss to then-UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya in 2020.

At UFC 302’s post-fight press conference, Strickland even criticized Costa for “running” throughout their non-title bout. And now Costa has had enough.

On Sunday, the frustrated 33-year-old middleweight vowed to return to his old barnstorming ways in a lengthy and since-deleted video on social media platform X.

“I will bring back the [old] Paulo to take heads off, to finish the fight,” Costa said. “I’m not that kind of counter [fighter], sorry, I’m not that kind of counter guy. I do better [when I] move forward and try to finish and look for heads.

“I have the power, so I need to deliver that — and I will do that. I won’t give a f*ck. F*ck points or conserving energy or f*ck anything about that. I will come to take heads off. And this is who I am, this is the kind of fighter I am, and the fighter who people expect that I perform [as]. So I will do that. F*ck points, I’ve [had] enough of this.”

Costa’s entire promise can be read below, which was accompanied by the caption, “Heard me?”

“I just came to say a few words. Yeah, Sean won. I didn’t perform very well. I think he didn’t either, but at least he did enough to win, right? This is two losses in a row in three fights, three former champs — Luke Rockhold, [Robert] Whittaker, and Sean. I won one and lost two. But let me tell you something, I agree with Dana [White] and Joe Rogan, and I will do that — I will bring back the [old] Paulo to take heads off, to finish the fight. I’m not that kind of counter [fighter], sorry, I’m not that kind of counter guy. I do better [when I] move forward and try to finish and look for heads. Sean is so awkward, so different kind of fighter to fight against, it’s difficult. He was teeping me, keeping [away], pushing me, keep pushing me, keep me far from him, because he knows the power that I have. And I have the power, so I need to deliver that — and I will do that. I won’t give a f*ck. F*ck points or conserving energy or f*ck anything about that. I will come to take heads off. And this is who I am, this is the kind of fighter I am, and the fighter who people expect that I perform [as]. So I will do that. F*ck points, I’ve [had] enough of this. Even the first round that I was 100 percent sure that I won, some people thought I lost. F*ck them. I will come to take heads off. That’s it, who I am.”

Costa (14-4) has now lost two bouts in a row at the hands of Strickland and Robert Whittaker. His only win since 2019 came in a 2022 decision over Luke Rockhold. Oddly enough, the Brazilian talent does not own a victory over anyone on the current UFC roster.

UPDATE: Costa re-uploaded the video, which can be watched below.

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In a massive move for the ever-growing sport of mixed martial arts — particularly in Asia, the sport has officially been recognized in Thailand — with a fully certified and approved MMA Association also established under the Department of Provincial Administration.

Thailand, home to a rich and deep history of combat sports, has produced some of the biggest talents in the striking arts to ever compete on a global scale — and in recent years, has become a home to a vast array of the most recognizable figures in mixed martial arts, through its extensive facilities and gyms littered across the Southeast Asian region.

MMA officially recognized as a sport in Thailand

From the likes of Tiger Muay Thai in Phuket — which has hosted the likes of UFC stars, the trio of former championship holders, Alexander Volkanovski, Petr Yan, and former flyweight queen, Valentina Shevchenko — to Bangtao Muay Thai and mixed martial arts, which hosts strawweight best, Zhang Weili, and on occasion, ex-light heavyweight kingpin, Jiri Prochazka.

Developing a vast talent of fighters in the region who have gone on to achieve worldwide success in mixed martial arts and acclaim, the recognization of mixed martial arts as an official sport in Thailand — as well as the establishment of a fully certified mixed martial arts Association comes as a further feather in the cap for the historical combat sports history of the land.

Nick Chapman, who confirmed the establishment in a historic day for the sport in the region, and spoke of his delight to be appointed as advisory chairman for the association — following a “dedicated effort” to see the recognition of mixed martial arts as a sport in the country.

“After months of dedicated effort and collaboration with an incredible team of people, we have successfully achieved official recognition for Mixed Martial Arts as a sport in Thailand,” Advisory Chairman, and Head of International Relations, Nick Chapman said. “We have also established a new, fully certified and approved Mixed Martial Arts Association of Thailand under the Department of Provincial Administration.

“This is a significant milestone for combat sports in Thailand,” Chapman continued. “Our association, with the support of some very influential figures, aims to elevate the sport of mixed martial arts within the country to a world-class level.”

“I am deeply honored to have been appointed as the Advisory Chairman and Head of International Relations for the newly established Mixed Martial Arts Association of Thailand. Being entrusted with such a crucial role in developing the sport that I love at this level in a country that I hold so dear, is an immense privilege for me.  Over the next few years you will see the sport of Mixed Martial Arts really start to take off. Our plans for the future of the sport are huge,” Chapman concluded.

MMA Association of Thailand 

• Mr. Vathanai Vathanakul President 
• Mr. Prathan Worramanin, Vice President and Secretary General
• Mrs.Ummarapas Vathanakul  Communication Committee and Accountant 

Other committee members:

• Mr. Oroschutiman Sangthong
• Mrs. Aemon Chapman 
• Mr. Thanatas
• Mr. Krittapas Chutiman
• Mr. Suchet
• Miss Natchanan Warmanin
• Mr. Worathit Warmanin
• Mr. Chin Wong Saeng
• Miss Anyarat Pancharoen
• Mrs. Amraphat Wattanakul

Speaking with John Hyon Ko for The AllStar publication in the aftermath of the formation of the Mixed Martial Arts Association of Thailand, Chapman detailed the journey that took place to see the sport’s recognition in the region — praising the country’s “progressive stance” — before laying out plans to bring a host of high-level coaches from a host of different disciplines to help develop the sport in the country.

“Mixed Martial Arts has been frowned upon in Thailand for a long time,” Chapman said. “There was even a point when the Sports Authority banned the use of a cage,  Mixed Martial Arts cages were not allowed, but what I love about Thailand is their progressive stance on things, they are open to taking new things onboard.  Mixed Martial Arts is going to explode in Thailand, we are in the process of setting up a Mixed Martial Arts association in Thailand.”

“I’ve been enlisted with heading the development team and what we are going to do is regulate Mixed Martial Arts in Thailand, we are going to bring in grassroots organizations from around the world, we are going to be running regular events, in a cage, in Sports Authority approved stadium. Mixed Martial Arts is going to become a massive part of the combat sports industry here.”

“IMMAF is a huge organization globally for mixed martial arts.  We are going to work under their framework so everything is done as it should be.  I’m going to make sure all the regulations are in place, everything is conducted professionally, fighters’ safety. I’ll be taking care of all of that.”

“A 5-10 year plan is to bring over the high-level wrestling coaches, the high level of jiu-jitsu coaches, the high level of MMA coaches and develop Thai nationals to either be ONE Championship’s level or UFC level. That’s my dream.”

LowKickMMA.com

Dublin, Ierland was scheduled to host a press conference on Monday promoting the upcoming UFC 303 event headlined by Dublin’s own Conor McGregor.  

McGregor is expected to return to the octagon on June 29 in the UFC 303 main event against Michael Chandler.  The two coached opposite each other on The Ultimate Fighter 31 last year.  McGregor has been out of action since suffering a broken leg in his trilogy bout against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021.  

The fight promotion released a statement on Sunday abruptly postponing the press conference ‘until further notice.’  No reason was given for the cancelation.  

“The #UFC303 press conference scheduled for Monday June 3rd in Dublin, Ireland at 3Arena has been postponed until further notice. We sincerely apologize to all the fans who were planning to attend. When we have further information on a new date and time, we will share it immediately. – Thank you,” the statement read.  

View the original article to see embedded media.

UFC 303 takes place on June 29 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.  The event set a New UFC live-gate record with over $ 20 million in ticket sales.  The Dublin press conference was a free event but tickets were issued.  As expected the tickets were claimed within minutes.  

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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

UFC 303’s kickoff press conference for Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler is off.

UFC announced the news late Sunday night, stating on all social media channels that the press conference has been “postponed until further notice.” McGregor and Chandler were scheduled to appear at the press event at 3Arena in Dublin at 12 p.m. ET on Monday.

The promotion did not disclose a reason for the cancellation. UFC CEO Dana White told reporters at UFC 302’s post-fight press conference on Saturday that he was set to fly to Ireland on Sunday to meet with McGregor.

UFC’s full announcement can be seen below.

Dear UFC Fans —

The UFC 303 press conference scheduled for Monday June 3rd in Dublin, Ireland at 3Arena has been postponed until further notice. We sincerely apologize to all the fans who were planning to attend. When we have further information on a new date and time, we will share it immediately. – Thank you.

UFC 303 takes place June 29 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. McGregor vs. Chandler is expected to headline the event with a five-round, non-title welterweight bout.

McGregor and Chandler coached opposite one another on The Ultimate Fighter 31 in early 2023.

McGregor, 35, has not fought since suffering a broken leg in his July 2021 loss to Dustin Poirier. A former two-division champion, “The Notorious” is the biggest mainstream star MMA has ever produced and holds notable wins over Jose Aldo, Nate Diaz, Eddie Alvarez, Donald Cerrone, Max Holloway, Poirier, and Chad Mendes. McGregor has competed in MMA just four times since his 2016 title win over Alvarez, going 1-3 over that time.

Chandler, 38, is a three-time former Bellator lightweight champion who has also sidelined himself since a November 2022 loss to Poirier. Since transitioning to the UFC, Chandler has won two of his five appearances, knocking out Dan Hooker and Tony Ferguson but falling short against Justin Gaethje, Poirier, and in a shot at the vacant title against Charles Oliveira.

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