Colby Covington recently taunted Michael Chandler following Conor McGregor's withdrawal from their UFC 303 showdown. The eagerly anticipated clash between 'The Ultimate Fighter' season 31 rival coaches was called off following the cancellation of a pre-fight press conference, sparking immediate speculation about the fight's status.
The McGregor vs. Chandler clash has now been officially canceled and removed from the card due to an injury sidelining the Irishman. The welterweight bout was originally set to headline the card on June 29 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Consequently, UFC CEO Dana White announced on Thursday night that reigning light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira would step up on short notice to defend his title in a rematch against Jiri Prochazka, concluding the promotion's International Fight Week 2024.
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Following the cancellation of the fight, Covington took to his Instagram stories and posted a clip from a Fox News interview last year where he and Chandler appeared together. During the interview, the former welterweight title challenger mentioned that 'Iron' knew deep down he would never face McGregor. Covington synced the clip with the famous 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' meme music to poke fun at Chandler.
Check out Colby Covington's post below:
Fans responded to Covington's mocking of Chandler following the canceled bout with a variety of reactions, with several suggesting that both fighters should face each other in a 170-pound matchup.
One fan wrote:
"Colby is ruthless."
Another wrote:
"Michael Chandler vs. Colby Covington wouldn’t be a bad matchup tbh."
Another commented:
"Pretty funny, to be fair; feel sorry for Chandler, tho."
Check out some more reactions below:

Michael Chandler releases statement after Conor McGregor's withdrawal from UFC 303
Michael Chandler has frequently shared his training in social media posts ever since Conor McGregor's name was tied to a potential fight with him. 'Iron' has been sidelined for more than a year, eagerly awaiting the chance to fight McGregor. He last competed at UFC 281 in November 2022, where he suffered a submission defeat against Dustin Poirier.
Following the cancellation of the UFC 303 fight, sponsor MegaFit Meals issued a statement on Instagram in partnership with Chandler, recognizing that booking a bout with 'The Notorious' carried the greatest risk. A part of the statement reads:
"@thenotoriousmma was never the safe bet as an opponent; he was always the highest risk. Maybe the highest reward… but the biggest opportunity. There is no right or wrong in business… you only take risks to grow or remain comfortable where you are. Embrace the uncertainty. Seek the opportunity."
Check out Michael Chandler's full statement below: